Strength Renewed
by silentdovesong
Summary: WARNINGS: Some violence, some personal encounters but nothing hopefully done in bad taste. Tommy Oliver gets a blast from the past, with secrets and surprises abundant. What effect with the choices of all have on the future? Also, yes this is a MarySu


156

Strength Renewed

By: Anne M. Lang

Disclaimer

I do not own anything related to the Power Rangers Universe and obviously whatever and whoever you recognize isn't mine. Some characters do not belong to me either as Ms. Jennifer Rogers has graciously allowed me to place my own OFC in her alternate universe to mess things in that up. Of the OC's I specifically only own Rania. I'm not making money off of this endeavor and do not plan at any time to so please if you own something, don't sue me.

Tommy Oliver opened the door to his woodsy Reefside home, unaware and quite unsuspecting that his home wasn't unoccupied and very nearly dropped his grocery bags when he saw someone he had not seen in many years - Rania sitting easily on his kitchen counter. What immediately caught his attention was the fact that the petite warrior had not changed much, if at all. It had been nearly ten years since he had last seen her, or many of the other people that he had once been so close to, and suddenly, looking at her it seemed like yesterday that he had. Rania hopped down gracefully and smiled at the former Ranger turned teacher turned Ranger again and said nonchalantly, "You should learn to lock your doors." as she reached for the bags and began unloading them onto the countertop.

"So I should." Tommy said raking his hands through his short hair as he set about putting away his groceries and debated asking the Phaedosean what she was doing there. It had after all been years since she had even been in contact with any of them, or even on Earth itself to his knowledge.

The mentor turned to face him, "You wonder yet have not asked why I have returned to a place I once thought lost. Why not just ask?" she said cryptically hopping back onto the countertop, her warrior's garb rising slightly as she did. She began to swing her feet in mid-air as she studied him intently.

"Well, since you're the one who brought it up, what brings you to Reefside; it's a long way from Angel Grove. And besides that how the hell did you get in here I could have sworn I locked the door this morning." He asked taking out two orange juice singles and holding one out to her.

"One might ask the same of you, Tommy." Rania said accepting it as the door opened and Conner, Kira and Ethan walked in. "As for how I got in, I used the little round knob on the door, I turned it and it opened. See what I mean about the door, Tommy?" Rania said accepting the offered juice container.

"Who's she?" Kira asked curiously, taking in the stranger's appearance.

Rania shook her head at the trio, "So you three are the ones chosen to help protect the Earth?"

"Dr. O. who is she?" Kira asked again, trying to ignore the stranger, whose demeanor was a bit unnerving for her.

"You three can relax, she is an old friend of mine from when I was a Ranger the first time around. She is cool, assuming you like cryptic, sarcastic warriors that is." He laughed catching the emptied and thrown orange juice single, which was aimed at his head.

"My name is Rania, High Guardian of the Light, among several other things." Rania said looking each of them in the eyes, her own strange eyes penetrating their minds.

"Where are you from?" Kira asked curiosity winning out over her desire to not seem too curious about this new person.

"A destroyed planet called Phaedos, Kira." Rania said as evenly as she could force her voice to stay, the memory still painful after so many years.

"What happened?" Ethan asked, wondering what would drive someone so far from their own home.

"A divided, betrayed team." Rania said, shaking her head, "Since then I have trained myself and others to defeat the shadows that threaten the worlds still held by the Light Powers."

"You seem pretty familiar with Dr. O." Conner said staring almost openly, earning him a discreet elbow from Tommy, who hissed in Conner's ear, "Knock it off- she's older than you can count."

"You might say that," Rania replied, deliberately ignoring Conner's stare. "I am not however here for a social call. I need Tommy's help, and yours."

The three teens had enough sense to look a little sheepish as they watched the Phaedosean turn to their mentor. "I bring news that you're not going to like, Tommy." Rania began, for the first time that he had seen her; she actually looked more than a little nervous and upset. "One of your old friends is in very deep trouble, Tommy, and her stubborn pride is making it very difficult to reach her, even for me." She jumped off of the countertop and tried to avoid a direct line of contact between herself and Tommy.

"Rania, who is it?" Tommy demanded, never expecting it to be the one Ranger he viewed as self-reliant and strong beyond belief.

"Nichole Walker." Rania said turning away from the once-more Ranger leader, but not quite fast enough.

"What do you mean 'deep trouble'?" Tommy's voice almost hissed at her, as he grabbed her shoulder.

Silently Rania shot him a warning look as she shrugged off his hand and withdrew a CD out of her nearby pack and tossed the jewel-cased disc onto the table. "That explains everything that I know or could gather." She said rather coldly as she turned away from the monitors, already painfully aware of the information on it, and more.

Ethan grabbed the disc and put it into the lab's computer and images that startled and nearly terrified the teens flashed by, almost as chaotic, half-remembered memories.

"Rania," Tommy's voice took on a strangled, almost-choked tone, "What has happened to her?"

"I'm not entirely sure, Tommy." Rania answered gently as she turned to face him again, "That's what I was hoping you could tell me."

"Can anyone live and be that gaunt?" Kira asked more a little frightened.

"Barely." Rania answered turning away from the screen, "And this wasn't Nichole's choice."

"Who did this to her?" Tommy demanded, old loyalties flaring in his heart and mind.

"You should know." Rania spat bitterly, her eyes flashing at the denseness that time obviously hadn't cured.

Tommy sucked in a deep breath between his clenched teeth and set about finding Nikki's energy signature. "Son of a bitch!" he snapped as the computer crashed on him, "Sometimes I really miss Billy." He fumed at the rather high-tech system at his command.

"You rang?" Billy Craston said sarcastically as he walked into the lab.

"Billy? When'd you get back from…?" Tommy said turning around to face his old friend.

"I'll explain that later." Billy said smiling as Hayley waved at Tommy from the living room, "And you're having a few technical difficulties I see." Billy said giving Tommy a hug.

"Naturally." Tommy answered glaring at his computer, "Granted Hayley has no problems making it behave."

"I shouldn't." Hayley said walking into the lab at ease with the surroundings, "I helped put that Frankenstein together."

Rania eyed Hayley a little suspiciously before deciding that if Tommy figured she was ok, she'd take his word on it for the time being.

Rania pulled away from the group that was working on a solution to the problem that they had presented them with and were startled when she abruptly collapsed into a ball onto the floor, screaming as she clutched her head "NOOOOoooooo! Not again!"

"Rania!" Tommy said trying to get a solid grip on one of her arms as she rolled on the lab floor, eyes squeezed shut as if trying to block an image from her mind. "Rania stop! Look at me!" he tried again as he managed to grasp her hands barely and struggled against her thrashing. As suddenly as she had started, Rania stopped screaming and fighting against Tommy and her eyes flew open and stared at him, unseeing. "Rania what is it?" he demanded, holding her chin to keep her focused on him as he kept her feet just off of the ground.

She fought for her control as she said very softly, "If you do not save Nichole in less than forty-eight hours she will die and with her passing more will pass with her than even I can be sure of."

Tommy was so surprised and frightened by what she said that he very nearly dropped her, having forgotten that he was supporting most of her weight in his arms. "You've lost weight yourself."

She pulled her face away from his hands and glared at him, "Funny you should notice that Thomas." She snapped coldly, her manner becoming much like Dulcea's before returning to her 'normal' sarcastic self.

The Rangers and former Rangers alike worked until finally after about six hours the computer found where Nichole was, and the prognosis was not good.

Nicole was being held in a "mental institution" in Stone Canyon, having been placed there by Kris and Willow, who had been convinced that their own years as Power Rangers were a delusion of Nikki's by Willow's new husband, Martin. They were not treating her well, and obviously, her body was showing it.

Rania, Tommy, Billy, Conner, Ethan, and Kira approached a nearby mall before heading to the institution. "Why are we stopping here?" Rania demanded, appearing quite oblivious to the fact that she did not blend in with the surroundings, and had vehemently protested leaving her staff at the lab.

"Rania, don't take this the wrong way, but you need to blend in here while you are here." Billy said delicately, remembering Rania's rather explosive temper when provoked by something.

Kira led them easily through the many throngs of people and they entered a store that Rania saw immediately that she was going to appreciate, called Hot Topic.

The guys opted to stay out of the crowded store and left Kira and Rania to find clothes that were comfortable to the warrior without being so completely as out of place as hers were already.

Finally the two settled on a simple set of dark black jeans and a fitted, but still comfortably loose blood red shirt with steel toe boots, which Rania had her doubts about.

"Trust me, in our business; ya grow to love 'em." Kira assured Rania as she paid for the clothes.

Rania raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "If you say so, Kira."

Kira shook her head and spoke quietly to Tommy, "Why don't you guys go to the Food Court and get something to eat? There are a few 'girl' things we gotta do yet if you catch my drift." Kira said putting her emphasis on 'girl'.

"Right." Tommy said immediately understanding what the teen meant, remembering from the time he had spent with Kim, Aiesha et al. "Come on you guys, let's get some food."

"But what about…" Conner asked as Tommy held up his hand to silence him.

"Conner, trust me, there are some things best left alone an' what they're gonna do… "Tommy said shaking his head, "we got no part in."

Billy raised his eyebrow at his longtime friend, "What stuff?"

"Tommy shook his head at Billy, "To quote Kira and every other girl on the planet, "'Girl' stuff".

Billy nodded slowly, "Indeed. Food is our game."

The two younger Rangers looked at each other strangely and Ethan shrugged at Conner, "I dunno either."

Meanwhile Kira had led Rania to a store that she knew well ahead of time that she was going to have trouble getting Rania to go near, Victoria's Secret.

"What the hell kinda store is this?" Rania muttered into Kira's ear quietly as a saleslady approached.

"Can I help you two?"

Kira smiled brightly, immediately disarming the lady, "Sure can. My friend here needs a new bra; her's broke while we were out shopping."

"Well what size was it?" the sales lady asked leading them deep into the shop.

Rania looked at Kira for help. Kira shrugged as if to say, "You'll figure it out."

Rania, cleared her throat, buying a moment as she gathered her thoughts, "I'm not sure, it's been a long time since I went shopping and I've forgotten."

The saleslady didn't look entirely convinced as she took the appropriate measurements and Kira noticed the subtle twitch of Rania's hand as she resists the strong urge to deck the saleslady.

"Oh God Rania please don't." Kira's mental voice said in the warrior's head to which Rania replied "Relax Kira, I wont, it's just an old reflex."

Finally the saleslady finished and showed Rania a few selected bras, one of which wasn't incredibly itchy or ornate which Rania selected.

After the purchases were made and in the bathroom Rania changed in a hurry and the two met up with the others, who were arguing about the last two slices of the large pizza when both slices were lifted off of the tray as Rania and Kira ended the argument quite effectively.

The pair each finished the pizza in moments and Rania looked at each of them. "There isn't much time."

They all rose from their chairs and after a few minutes drive arrived at the institution that held Nikki captive.

The desk attendant eyed them suspiciously and held up her hand to stop them, "Visiting hours are Monday through Friday 9 am to 6 pm. It is now 6:30 you must leave."

Rania glared at the woman coldly, "It is 5:30 you twit. I am here to see Nichole Bradpulsford." She said matter-of-factly. Tommy flinched inwardly, remembering the few times that Rania had used that tone in training and it meant business. _"I hope she doesn't lose her temper, or find it as Aisha used to say."_ He thought as he watched the warrior square off with the attendant.

The attendant backed away from the cold, bone-chilling look she was receiving from the angry Rania and stammered, "Y-you're right it is only 5 o' clock. But Ms. Bradpulsford isn't supposed to see anyone but her sisters..." her voice trailed off as the low hiss escaped the now-irate Rania.

"Whoever said I WASN'T her sister hmm? I have traveled a long ways to see her and I full well intend to do so, and your pathetic little security officer can't stop me any more than you can." She exploded easily flipping one onto his back with a simple arm throw.

"What? How could you- I mean you don't look..." The other guard stammered as Rania looked him in the eyes.

"With the mood I'm in pal you'd be lucky to keep your spine inside your body. I'm feeling nice enough however to give you a choice, help me or suffer." Rania snarled, clearly spoiling for a good fight.

The guard apparently recognized Tommy and turned his attention to him, "Hey ain't you Tommy Oliver from Angel Grove?"

Tommy eyed the guard and mentally flipped through his yearbook, "Yeah, but who the hell are you?"

The guard looked warily from Tommy and back to Rania, "Does she bite?"

"Only when provoked." Tommy answered flippantly, "But you haven't answered my question."

"I err well you would have called me Skull then." The guard looked away, his familiar nervous twitch returning full-force.

Tommy's eyes flashed at the guard. "Then I'm not asking you to help us, are you aware this place is KILLING Nikki?  
Skull's eyes flashed at the name and his jaw dropped, "I knew that it was bad for her but - but kill her, surely not."

Tommy shook his head, "She's never lied to me before, and I trust her judgment on situations." He answered the former high school goofball as he gestured to Rania.

Skull took in Rania's appearance, looking confused. "You are strange, your eyes I mean."

Rania smiled tersely, "As educational as that conversation might be for you, the clock is ticking."

Skull tapped her shoulder as she turned to ask Billy something and both shuddered as Skull accidentally saw images that Rania couldn't bring herself to bring forth onto the disc that the others had seen and he stiffly said, "I'll lose my job here but her life is worth more than that." he led them to the hall where Nikki was being held and with shaking hands opened the door to the room where she was supposed to be staying in time for Tommy and Rania to nearly fall over in shock over her condition.

Nikki was nearly unrecognizable, her once-thick blond hair was in chunks around the room, and what remained on her head was straggly and unwashed. That wasn't what startled the both of them; the lack of weight did, to the point that the bones in her face were prominent, as were her wrists and all over her once-filled frame. "Oh, God, Nikki," Tommy breathed as Conner shouted, "We got company guys."

Rania spun on her heels, "I'll take care of them, get her out of here." she pushed her way out of the room and found the Rangers, Billy, and Skull fighting with about seven security officers, and none of them were faring particularly well. She grabbed the nearest one off of the newly-formed dog pile and slammed him into the nearby cement wall. Rania turned in time to see Tommy running down the hall to the front doors with Nikki, well what was left of her in his arms.

Eventually the fray came down to an exhausted Rania and one particularly brutal, immensely huge guard, who unfortunately had waited until the petite warrior was nearly out of strength and anger. He picked her up easily, and as her back slammed into the wall she felt her teeth rattle and saw stars before her eyes.

After a moment he grasped her neck, standing just out of her striking range and began pummeling her abdomen and legs with fierce, rapid blows. Miraculously Rania never lost consciousness, though she was exhausted and knew that her body was taking the brunt of what she couldn't shield herself from. As she hovered on the brink of blissful unconsciousness she sensed familiar energies around her and her eyes flew open as the grip on her neck faded simultaneously with the blows to her abdomen. She crumpled to the cold tiled floor coughing and gagging as hands gently lifted her off the floor and as her vision cleared she saw Destiny's familiar face inches from her own. "Rania, are you all right?" Destiny asked as her friend coughed up a small amount of blood.

Unable to speak Rania nodded, immediately regretting it as the world spun around.

"Des, we have to get out of here, this place is getting locked down tight!" Adam said having finished teaching the guard a lesson in manners.

The two supported Rania as long as she could manage to move mostly on her own when a gunshot rang out in the bustling halls.

"Gods!" Rania shouted as the bullet imbedded itself into her upper thigh.

"Son of a bitch!" Adam muttered, unconsciously uttering the same phrase Tommy had mere hours ago. "Des- RUN! I'll get her out."

Destiny started running towards the door and saw the guards there drawing their own weapons and she twisted her body around into a front flip and flipped neatly down the hall and over the guards, conveniently kicking their knees out from under them. Fortunately none of the guards had managed to draw their guns all the way and Adam avoided their grips, trailing Rania's blood behind them as they ran to the waiting van.

"Oh Fuck!" Tommy cursed, forgetting momentarily about the younger Rangers who paled, but didn't say anything.

"This isn't good," Destiny said looking at the wound as Rania drifted towards unconsciousness.

"Rania, don't go to sleep." Adam said looking at her eyes briefly.

Rania forced her mind to stay focused and fought through the fog in her mind enough to mutter, "Want to, can't."

"Rania!" Adam snapped, startling his oldest friends with the force behind his normally quiet voice, "Don't!" he repeated louder this time as he fought against the flow of blood. She closed her eyes for a moment as she said, sounding stronger "Get it out of me."

Adam shook his head as Kira looked over the seat at him. "What?"

"Get that hunk of metal out of me! It stings!" Rania barked, the blinding pain from the small bit of metal in her leg causing more irritation than all the wounds in her chest combined.

"But I'm not qualified to do that." Adam protested as Rania glared at him.

"I said get it out." She repeated as her voice penetrated his mind, "Just do what I say and I'll be fine. It's really not that different from extracting an arrow from one's body."

"How did you do that? Enter my mind I mean?" Adam asked Rania as her strange eyes fixed on his.

"I'll explain that later." Rania said as she fought against mentally screaming about the pain in her leg. "First of all tell Conner to get that Med Kit from the back of the van and give it to you." As Adam turned to tell Conner the van hit a bump in the road and veered sharply to the right.

"Tommy dammit drive carefully!" Destiny shouted at him angrily, cradling what remained of her sister.

"I am! This road is the pits." Tommy answered forcing himself to be calm and think logically.

"Adam," Rania directed him, "Get the gloves out and on your hands and after that find the tweezer-like things in there and slowly insert them into the bullet wound, and gently please." As he did Rania hissed, sounding very much like her own Totem animal, the tiger. When the tweezers found the bullet Rania's hands were reaching for Adam's neck, without her really intending for them to.

"Billy! You and Skull get hold of her arms - she's not really aware of what she's doing right now." Destiny said looking over the seat. As the two fought against Rania's surprising strength, they watched as Adam slowly extracted the hated metal from her leg.

"Stitch it closed, carefully." Rania said gently.

"But what about the internal damage Rania?" Adam asked softly.

"That will heal quickly. I just don't need to bleed to death first." Rania answered, her strength faded, and her voice even sounded weak to Adam's ears.

Billy and Skull released Rania's arms slowly, almost unwillingly as Rania slumped forward, nearly crashing into Adam, who had placed the soiled gloves in a zip lock bag and placed that into a garbage bag on the back of the seat.

"Whoa, easy." Adam said, twisting around in time to keep her from falling too far forward. As he caught Rania, her head flopped backwards, almost crashing into the seat.

"Christ." Adam muttered unhappily as Rania's eyes closed in restless sleep.

After several more long minutes Tommy steered his van into his driveway and hopped out, opening the sliding door and gingerly shifted Nikki out of Destiny's arms and carried her to the door where Kira stood, holding the door open.

Finally everyone was inside and the doors were each securely locked, and Tommy surveyed the situation. The three teens looked shell-shocked and were being patched up by a sympathetic Hayley who looked anxiously at the resting Rania and Nikki.

"Rania I wouldn't worry so much for, Hayley." Tommy said following her gaze easily, "Nikki, however I would, I've never seen that look in her eyes in the long time I've known her."

"What look, Tommy?" Destiny asked, fear in her voice and in her eyes.

"Defeat." Tommy answered turning away from one of the youngest of the Purple Rangers.

Destiny sucked in a deep breath and stalked away from the others, chewing on her thumbnail. After a few moments the others faded into quiet conversations, Tommy walked over to where Destiny stood at the windows, trying to not think of the very real danger lurking in the other room.

"Des," Tommy began as he put his hand on her shoulder, "I didn't mean for that to come out like that, I guess I'm still not very good at sugar-coating the world."

Destiny smiled tiredly, "You never could convincingly sugar-coat anything but a pastry, Tommy. That's one of the things that Nikki loved and hated about you."

"Why the past tense?" Tommy asked, forcing the Ranger to look at him.

"I don't think Nikki can pull through this one. Sure she's tough but to be betrayed like this, even she isn't that strong."

"Betrayed by who?" Tommy asked as the bedroom door opened and Rania slowly limped into the room.

"You shouldn't be up yet." Adam protested as the warrior shook her head at him.

"I told you it was just a matter of getting the time to heal didn't I?" she rebuffed him gently, sitting heavily on the chair that Ethan hurriedly vacated. She turned her head to where Tommy and Destiny stood and said morosely, "What I couldn't tell you all earlier is that the ones that put Nikki in the position to deteriorate like this is none other than Willow and Chris."

Tommy spun on his heel, facing Rania, his eyes flashing, "You have got to be jerking my chain!"

Rania shook her head sadly, "You have no idea just how much I wish I were, Tommy." she said sadly.

"Well that's just what I bloody well needed to hear today." Tommy fumed, pacing across to the door.

"Tommy, you're frightening the kids." Destiny said turning him around so that he could more accurately see Ethan, Kira and Conner, who each wore looks of confusion and more than a tinge of fear.

Tommy willed his anger at Willow and Chris to a standstill and walked to where the others sat and perched on the armrest of the couch gently. "You three are tired, and probably wonder who these people are."

"Yeah." Kira answered sarcastically, sounding enough like Kimberly to cause even Destiny to wince.

Tommy smirked at the girl before introducing everyone more properly to them. "Over there is Destiny, she is Nikki's twin, and you three saw her picture with Nikki in the yearbook not too long ago. Rania you three know, well have met at least. Billy Craston and Adam Park are two of the other former Rangers with me, and two of the best friends I've ever had. Guys, these three are Ethan, Kira, and Conner."

The established Rangers and former Rangers nodded.

"Why do you still wear your Ranger colors?" Kira asked putting two and two together; having realized that she, Ethan and Conner had each unconsciously done the same.

Adam shrugged, "Because old habits die hard I guess. Though I prefer black over green any day." he raised his eyebrow at Tommy, "Yet another Power color I see?" he said sarcastically.

"Yeah." Tommy said sheepishly, "Don't know why I keep getting roped into this world."

Rania laughed bitterly, "For the same reason I have been fighting to get out of this business, we're both too good at what we do."

Tommy looked carefully at the elder warrior, "Just how old are you, Rania? Your appearance doesn't leave much room for guesstimates."

"Old enough to have known both Dulcea and Zordon in our youths." Rania said lightly, "Though they both seemed younger than I then, and yet seem younger still."

Tommy shook his head, "At least that hasn't changed with the passing of the last few years."

Rania cocked her head at him, fatigue barely showing in her eyes, "What's that?"

"You still manage to answer questions without actually answering them." Tommy answered as Adam stood up stiffly, "You OK man?" Tommy asked staring as Adam stood up.

"Yeah, old injury from my teaching martial arts classes. It's healing, but so slowly." Adam said massaging his knee to make the tendons loosen enough for him to place weight fully on it.

Rania too stood and looked at Adam who nodded at her unspoken question. The two walked out of the room, each stiff and annoyed because they were still stiff from injuries old and fresh.

Rania paused by the kitchen counter and looked up slightly at the taller former Ranger. "Now tell me the truth of how you hurt your knee." she said in his mind gently.

To which he answered softly, "An accident about a year ago. The doctors keep telling me it will heal but it hasn't." he finished, glancing over his shoulder.

Rania smiled gently and showed him the location of the wound, which was fine, if a bit pinker than the rest of her fair skin. "I'm fortunate to be a fast healer."

"I'll say." Adam said softly, touching the spot timidly, "Muscle mass and everything?"

"Everything." Rania nodded, "Though I have many talents to offer to this group, even I cannot promise a full recovery for that knee."

"You can heal?"

Rania nodded, "Call it a gift-curse, like the rest of what I can do." she said as she felt the swollen and tender knee as gently as she could get away with. She nodded absently to herself and focused intently on healing the mangled and abused tissues and finally managed to get the results she wanted from them, resetting and finally soothing the nerves in the kneecap. "You really should take it easy on it for about a day or so, and keep it wrapped, but not tightly." she said as she stood upright and turned to leave.

Adam's hand darted out to stop her, "Rania- " he said quietly.

"I know." Rania answered before he could finish and she pulled away from Adam.

Rania pulled her mental shields up as high as she could before returning to the room where the others sat. _"I really have to be more careful whom I let hear my voice."_ she chastised herself as she sat down once more in her chair.

Rania was so far lost in her own thoughts that Kira startled her when she tapped her on the arm, "We're going to have to go, before or parents totally freak because we're so late."

Rania nodded at the girl, who for whatever as-yet undetermined reason had grown fond of her.

The older members of the Ranger family sat in anxious silence as one of their own lay in limbo between life and death in one room, and one of their oldest allies sat in deep personal contemplation.

Destiny left the main room and went into the bedroom and found Nikki awake and in the process of trying to get up. "Nikki, don't Sis that could really hurt you." Destiny protested, putting her hands over Nikki's.

Nikki's blue eyes locked on her sisters, almost not believing that she was real. "Des?" her hoarse voice rasped as though she hadn't really spoken in years, not the mere months that she'd been trapped in that awful place.

"Yes, it's really me. And everyone you think you saw in the other room you did see." Destiny reassured Nikki gently.

"How find me?" Nikki wanted to know, licking her dry lips.

Destiny smiled, "Have you ever known me not to find you when you need me?"

The corner of Nikki's mouth twitched in a ghostly resemblance of what was once a bright smile.

The weeks passed slowly, each morning Tommy got up early and went to teach his classes and returned each night with groceries and the like in hand. Nikki slowly recovered her weight, and her personality returned over time as well. It seemed to Rania and Destiny especially that Nikki was more wary of others than she had ever been, especially her family. Secretly Tommy and Adam each feared more over the passing time for Rania, who appeared more and more drained after spending any time with Nikki.

One evening as Rania sat outside at twilight, her red hair swaying in the cool breeze, Tommy approached her silently, noticing more of a change in her than he'd like to admit that he did. "Rania, what are you trying to prove here?" He asked her quietly, "That you're invincible or something?" Tommy squatted down to see her face as she answered him.

Rania snorted bitterly, "On my own planet I am virtually so, here I am not. That bullet proved that to me. I swore an oath long ago to protect Destiny, Willow and Autumn from harm, and in that oath I have failed. If it takes my life energy to restore Nikki to what she was, it is worth it to me."

"What of the rest of us?" Tommy asked, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness and bitterness.

Rania looked up at the former and current Ranger leader and forced herself to smile, "This world would continue, my own world is forsaken both by the Light and by the Dark, what good have I really done?"

He sat down on the soft grass next to her and fingered a new batch of white hair framing her face, "Are you aware that your hair grows whiter than fire-red by the days?"

Rania smirked slightly, "I'd noticed it yes, though I've grown to not care about things such as this. By virtue of my age alone I ought to have only white hair."

Tommy laughed softly, a barely hidden hint of annoyance bled through the laugh, "But that doesn't make it right. You have plenty more that you could do. For starters, I remember Phaedos as a wonderful place to train and learn. Has the Great Power not shown you that you are worth more than just your fighting skills?"

Rania snorted in a most unbecoming manner before shaking her head, "I fear that the Power is forsaking me, a little at a time. My own team is fractured beyond repair, several of them are gone, dead or destroyed, and there is nothing that I can do about it. My sisters and I are barely on speaking terms, some of them I barely know, well Dulcea and I do talk from time to time, but not like before…" she said her voice trailing off as the memories burned her mind.

"Rania, don't torment yourself with the past, no one can change it, all anyone can do is learn from it and move forward." Tommy said quietly, remembering his own hard-learned lesson that it had taken for him to remember that very fact, staring at yet another streak of white rippling down her hair.

Rania drew in a deep breath, forcing herself to admit that he was right, and indeed he was, but she had long ago decided against trusting anyone after her sister's final stab against their team. "Soleil," Rania's eyes burned just thinking of the name that her younger sister had once borne with such pride, and its meaning had once been so true.

"Who is Soleil?" Tommy asked her quietly, reaching for her hand and grasping it gently, startled at how cold her hands were in the warm evening.

"She was once my sister." Rania answered distantly, looking away from him at the horizon. "I have not thought of her in many moon cycles now, why she has come to my mind now I do not know."

Tommy's mind reeled at the admission, and a million questions flew through his mind and he struggled to understand what tormented their friend so much that she sought that much time alone. "You cannot protect everyone, Rania, from harm in fighting or from their own families, no matter what happens; you're still only one entity in this and any universe."

Rania's strange eyes shone as she fixed her gaze on his dark eyes, "You think I don't know that? I haven't lived this long without paying a high price." She snapped angrily. "The price is sometimes too much. I am weary of it all, Tommy, in your youth you do not understand what it is to watch one of your own blood destroy everything you worked so hard to gain!" Rania abruptly jumped to her feet and sprinted gracefully deep into the woods, seeking the peace that even solitude seldom gave her any more.

Tommy sat quietly staring down the path Rania had taken and nearly jumped out of his skin when Adam tapped his shoulder, "Jeez, Adam can you walk any more quietly?" he muttered as Adam sat down next to his concerned friend.

"What just happened?" Adam asked, "One minute you two were just talking, and the next she's taking off for the woods."

"I'm not sure, but I think she revealed a lot more than she wanted to about her own past." Tommy answered, trying to digest everything that Rania had said to him.

"What do you know about it?" Adam asked his own curiosity about the enigmatic pair of warriors piqued.

"Not much except that Rania and Dulcea have another sister that no one talks about. Her name was Soleil; at least that was her birth name."

"What happened?" Adam asked Adam as Rania and Dulcea approached them.

"She tried to kill Rania." Dulcea answered bluntly, "Though Rania is not aware of some facts that I will explain about at a later date. Had Soleil succeeded, more lives would have been destroyed than were already, and she is partly responsible for the predicament that Zordon was in when you two met him."

The two gaped at the pair. "How did you do that? I should have heard both of you!" Adam exclaimed.

Rania smiled darkly, "Only when I desire to be heard am I heard." Rania sat down a few paces from where the others were, still thinking of what happened between herself and Soleil. "_Great Power, Soleil, if you only knew what your betrayal did to me_." She thought as a single burning tear slid out from under her closed eyes.

"Rania." Dulcea said kneeling next to her, "Are you all right?" _"The time is long past for you to tell them all the truth about who you really are."_ She thought as she looked at Rania.

Rania opened her eyes and stared at her sister. "What do you think?"

"You've buried your feelings for far too long, I've always told you when you did face them it was going to be rougher than it could have been." Dulcea said gently, her mind reeling at the emptiness inside of Rania's eyes where once had been fire and life.

Rania rolled her eyes as more memories crashed around her, blurring reality and memory. After a few moments Rania fell backwards, exhausted.

Tommy and Adam stared as Dulcea calmly wrapped her cloak around Rania's shoulders and sat down to wait.

"Dulcea?" Tommy asked a full question in just that single word.

"She'll wake soon." Dulcea said patiently, "Have a seat. This story is older than time itself for you, and only partly mine to tell. Rania's story isn't mine to share, though I don't know how she ever forgave me my part in it." Sadness tinged her fair, yet stern face.

Sure enough just as it was almost too dark to see, Rania sat bolt upright again, looking around and swore softly under her breath when she saw that Adam and Tommy were still there. "Peace, I said for them to wait." Dulcea said holding up her left hand in a gesture of silence.

Rania's cold stare chilled Dulcea to the bone but Dulcea calmly eyed her. "Raa, its better they know, as may we face her again now." She said in their native language gently.

"I know that, the story is one of both joy and great sadness." Rania answered in the same language.

The two sat quietly, realizing that this was first and foremost a family affair. After a few moments Rania rose and the other three followed her to the house. "I'd rather not have to get eaten alive by the bugs out here." She said, avoiding the topic they were on.

After they settled in the living room once more, Rania looked at Dulcea who began, "As you both know, Rania is the oldest of her family, which was long honored to be Power Rangers, though our team was once considered unbeatable, when the unthinkable happened."

Rania glared at Dulcea, "You leave out that you and Zordon had been in a very deep relationship for many of those years, which was part of Soleil's problem!"

Dulcea smiled faintly, the memories of the time she had spent with Zordon were only slightly tinged by the sadness that came from their parting. "So I do. We were all happy, so most of us thought, when Soleil, our very sister cut the lines to our lives, it felt like everything we had worked so hard for had vanished. She was not like Rania or I, but very vain, very selfish and power-hungry. No matter how big the margin of winning it was never enough, she wanted faster, better, you name it. Then came the day I never thought I'd live to see, the day my sisters came to blows that weren't in sparring matches. Rania, as you both know is strong, in many ways. Her gifts are also curses that torment her day in and day out, even in sleep there is no real rest for her." Dulcea paused and looked at Rania, who appeared transfixed on something not in the living room, "Raa?" She inquired using the family nickname, once nearly forgotten. Guilt also chewed at her conscience about fudging on some of the details, _"I should tell Rania alone first, so that the others can learn this from her, on her terms."_ Dulcea said to herself firmly.

"I'm here, barely." Rania answered, her eyes resembling more closely a tiger's than they ever had.

"Stay with me, I'm almost to the point that I don't know what happened after." Dulcea said pulling her icy hands into her own, trying to warm them knowing that it was fruitless. "One day Rania was off training as was her habit, early in the mornings…" her voice broke as the terror she had felt when she discovered that Soleil had taken off after Rania. "Rania was our leader then, take-charge, fair, temperamental, but at the same time a better choice than even Zordon then. Soleil envied that in her eyes Rania was everything she wasn't. Soleil was beautiful in the sense that her appearance was of one who could win prizes with it. She was strong in body and in will. We all thought that it was her age that made her resent Rania in particular. Rania was already past grown in our culture when Soleil was born. To think I could have lost both of them that day…" Dulcea shuddered as her knowledge of the shattering ended.

Rania drew in a deep breath and held both of their gazes for as long as they would allow her to. "I was practicing one of many forms, perfecting it; it was a particularly difficult hand-foot combination that I wanted to master before much longer. I heard someone approach but I never dreamed that it would be Soleil trying to kill me. The fight that ensued could have cost me my life, if not for Dulcea and Zordon working to find us, before it was too late. For Soleil that time had long past, for me," Rania shook her head, "I still have my doubts about the wisdom of separating Soleil and myself instead of allowing us to finish it then."

"To do that would have cost them more than just one member of the team." Adam said.

"It did in the end, Soleil's betrayal cost us the team. The other two were in the process of finding replacements yes, but until then they had never actively looked. To this day neither of us knows what happened to them." Rania said looking from one to the other.

"What happened next?" Tommy asked.

"Well life continued, but not as we had known it. We lost battle after battle, and badly. Eventually Zordon was trapped in the time vortex he is in now. Dulcea is mostly stuck on Phaedos except in great need, and I," Rania swallowed, "Am always looking for a way to help."

"Which is why Willow, Autumn and I lived." Destiny said, walking into the room with a much-healed Nikki.

"Indeed." Rania said, looking fondly at the girl who had brought her some closure on her past simply by being born.

The night waned on and each wandered off alone for awhile. As Rania rose to head off to parts unknown Dulcea grabbed her wrist, "We need to talk." She said in their native language, her tone serious.

The two walked out the door into the woods and each listened to the silence of the night outside. They were a good distance from the house when Dulcea said, quietly, "Rania, this is hard for me to tell you, and will probably be harder for you to accept than for me to tell you." Dulcea began her stomach in knots.

Rania eyed Dulcea suspiciously, "What are you talking about?" She asked as Dulcea looked around with a slightly sheepish look on her face.

"Rania, there are things in this world that we cannot change, and where our blood comes from isn't one of them." Dulcea tried again as the air was sliced by the sound of an engine. "What the – who?" they both said as the small one-person plane landed.

The engine died and the enclosed cockpits' top opened slowly and a strangely-clad male stepped out of the plane easily.

As Dulcea's eyes cleared, she exclaimed "LUKE! What are you doing here?"

"Making sure you finally tell Rania the truth. It is a long time coming now, Dulcea." He answered as Rania looked at him strangely.

"Who are you? Why do I remember you?" Rania's voice asked in his mind, each unconsciously reaching mentally for the other.

"That is for Dulcea to explain." Luke answered gently, his voice soothing, and troubling Rania.

Dulcea looked at Luke, grateful and resentful that he showed up, which in effect stuck her up a creek, "Well he's right about that, there is a truth to be told now, and it's more imperative now than ever that it is revealed."

"Well it would help if I knew what you were talking about." Rania said sarcastically.

Dulcea shook her head, "You still aren't patient are you? Well there is no easy way to explain this but to say it; we're not sisters, Rania. Nor have we ever actually been sisters."

Rania staggered backwards a few steps, "What are you talking about?"

"Rania, at a young age I was forced into a marriage I didn't want, and could not get out of. From that marriage came you, perhaps the only light in that dark time for me. Your father wasn't a nice man, and after a long time, I escaped, with Luke's help. As you're already aware, Willow, Chris, Autumn, Destiny, and Nikki are sisters, and my daughters,"

"Making them my sisters." Rania finished slowly, staring strangely at Dulcea. "Why have you not spoken of this before?" she demanded, realization hitting her.

"Because it was not safe." Luke interjected, his Jedi robes swishing softly in the grass.

"Not safe how?" Rania demanded angrily.

"He would have killed you, as Soleil almost did." Luke answered evenly, "And even that was a close call if Dulcea and Zordon tell me accurately."

"They do." Rania admitted, "Even I wasn't sure I could stop her attacks."

Luke nodded, "The question is now, what are you going to do, Rania?" he said fingering one of the newest streaks of white.

"The only thing I can. Accept it and move forward, doing what I can to keep Phaedos from repeating." Rania answered pulling away from Luke.

Luke stared at Rania for a moment, "You were never this cautious before."

Rania glared, "YOU have your family try to kill you and see how you are around people you're not sure you know."

"I have." The Jedi answered calmly, the fact that his own father had tried to kill him still stung him.

Rania looked at both of them and said, "Tell the others I needed some time to myself for awhile. They ought to be used to my disappearing act by now."

Sure enough all was quiet before Rania returned, about two weeks later. She opened the door and found herself walking into the middle of one major family fight. Apparently during the time that she had been away, Willow and Kris had tracked down where Nikki had been hidden away and were trying to take her back to that institution.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rania demanded, raising her voice to be heard over the chaos in the room.

"She's crazy! She needs help!" Willow insisted loudly to Rania, pulling on Nikki's right arm as Destiny held on to Nikki's left.

"First of all Willow," Rania paused for effect "Let her go and do it nicely or you'll be the one needing help." She finished darkly, stepping into the room.

Willow looked at Rania's face and knew that if she didn't Rania could very easily make good on that threat in more way than one. She stepped towards Nikki and Destiny and released her wrist slowly.

"Good, now that you're finished attempting to manhandle your sister. You'll listen to me." She paused tapping Kris's shoulder sharply. "You'd do well to listen too." She said before stepping to where the couch was and perched on the arm. "First and foremost, Nikki isn't crazy, else we all are. Secondly, there is something far more important than that call from your husband, Willow." She paused as the cell phone rang. Willow picked it up and stared at the small screen.

"How did you know that?" Willow asked, ignoring the call, remembering painfully what happened the last time she had not answered it.

"Call it intuition." The redhead answered evilly. "But back to what I have to say. You each already know your parentage, but not mine. Well I had thought I did, but two weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that there was a lot more to my story than even I knew. I am the oldest of this family, not Kris." Rania finished bluntly laying it on the table for them to digest.

"What are you talking about? That's impossible." Destiny said, staring at Rania.

"Not according to Luke and Dulcea." Rania shrugged as she paused and looked at the warrior, "You do know you'll never be anything but sister to me don't you?"

Dulcea smirked, "I'd expect nothing less out of you."

"The details are not your concern, but leave it at this, either of you two put her back in that institution, you're both next." Rania said as the doorbell rang.

Tommy skirted the family fracas in his own living room and opened the door and was nearly mowed over by the crowd at the door. "I think I'm going to need a bigger house." He muttered to himself as Jason Scott, Aisha Campbell, Rocky DeSantos, Kimberly Hart, and a myriad of other former Rangers piled into the crowded house.

Rania glared at the two troublemaking sisters and grabbed the cell phone out of Willow's hands and turned it off. "We're not done with our discussion." She said looking into Willow's eyes, and saw a look she never dreamed she would see, fear. "You and I have to have a private discussion – later." Rania's voice said in Willow's mind, gently but firmly.

After awhile, Rania found that she was inadvertently being crowded out by the small army's worth of people in the house and crept out the door, quietly, unsuspecting what she would find in the lawn. Rania stepped onto the porch, stretching absently as the sounds of a very vehement argument flooded her ears.

"What the hell do you think you were doing turning your cell phone off?" a decidedly male voice shouted, the very voice chilling Rania to the bone, making her freeze for a few seconds as Willow's soft voice was barely heard.

"I – I didn't." Willow protested, trying to keep her voice down so that the others wouldn't have to see her in this situation, and one she didn't want to be in, but couldn't escape.

Rania crept closer silently thankful for the ability to walk without sound at need, and peeked around a rather large tree in time to see a tall dark-haired man ball up his fist and strike Willow in the face, sending her backwards. "What have I told you about lying you bitch!" he ranted at a cowering Willow, unaware that Rania had appeared.

Willow struggled to her feet, also unaware that Rania was there until Rania seemingly appeared at her side, pulling her to her feet, away from the raging man.

"I don't know who you are, or who the hell you think you are but you've got no business putting your hands on anyone." Rania said looking up savagely, her own temper boiling.

"Shut up you whore! This isn't between you and me – it's between me an' my bitch." He said lunging for Willow.  
Rania smiled ferally, "Well in that case you're certainly wrong, as that 'bitch' is my baby sister." She paused as she stepped forward a few feet, "And if you hurt her you answer to me. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars." She folded her arms across her chest and stood back in a seemingly defensive manner.

"Please a little pipsqueak like you couldn't hurt me!" Martin scoffed, still unaware that the others had come outside when they realized that both Willow and Rania were gone.

"Pipsqueak? Pipsqueak?" Rania repeated incredulously. "You certainly do have quite a limited vocabulary don't you?" She was deliberately goading him on, knowing that rage could be a weapon or a flaw, depending on the control the person had over it.

Sure enough he charged, aiming for Willow, whom Rania took the few precious seconds she had and spun her around once praying that she'd gained enough momentum to get her out of harm's way. She released Willow's arm in time to dodge the blind charge from Martin.

"That's funny, you remind me of a raging bull." Rania said as Willow crashed unceremoniously into Jason Scott, who kept her on her feet, but only just.

"You BITCH!" Martin yelled as Rania calmly, eerily calmly stood waiting for him to make his next move.

"Strange, I seem to recall you calling me a 'pipsqueak' just a moment ago. I must have grown in your lack of liking me is such a short time, child." Rania said smiling again, her own desire to destroy this man biting at her better judgment.

"What is she doing?" Tommy hissed into Dulcea's ear.

Dulcea shrugged, "He pissed her off, I don't know what she saw, but it must have been bad for her to do this." She said softly.

Jason Scott lifted Willow's chin so that he could see her face and saw exactly what had infuriated Rania to the point that she was toying with him to the degree she was. Several of the other guys stiffened, but realized that unless Rania asked for help, it was better to stay out of her way. Rocky moved to get around Adam who put his arm in the way, "No, Rocky if Rania needs your help she'll tell you." Adam said softly in his friend's ear.

Martin charged at Rania again, his breathing shallow as sweat poured off of him. She dodged his slimy grasp easily as she jumped up and grabbed an overhead tree branch and swung her feet over her head as he came back for a second pass. She flipped over the branch and landed a solid, painful two-footed kick to the small of his back, pinching a nerve in the vertebrae.

She circled him as a tigress might her prey and stood just out of his range. "So you've taken to hitting my sister have you?" her voice shook with her barely-contained anger as the strike of just a few moments ago flashed before her eyes again. "NOBODY hits my sisters, pal, married or not." She growled as he went to rise. "Hurts don't it? It's supposed to." She snapped as he crumpled to the hard ground. "But that's only a fraction of what you're going to feel before I'm through."

"I was unaware that Rania had such a sadistic streak." Tommy said quietly to Dulcea as a strange figure approached from behind them.

"Oh she does, and it's quite an amazing sight to behold. Fortunately it only shows up when the situation involves her family." Dulcea said watching with intense fascination.

As Rania slowly, painstakingly reduced the raging bull of a man to a blithering cowering idiot the figure arrived and threw back his hood, revealing his face, "Rania that's quite enough." Luke's cool, even voice said, even though the barest hint of pride and amusement slipped through the intended reprimand.

Rania looked at Martin and saw that indeed her job was finished, he'd be lucky to raise his own hand to feed himself. She turned her back on him as she walked to where Willow was, ignoring Luke for the moment. "Look at me." She said softly, pulling Willow's hands away from her face.

Willow's eyes shone with unshed tears and Rania saw the traces of many such tracks of tears as she gently traced the path of one newly fallen. Rania and Jason guided Willow to sit on the ground and Rania studied the bruise for a moment before slowly raising her open hand to it, frowning as Willow flinched at the light touch.

Rania channeled her flash of anger away from herself, anger wouldn't heal that bruise, or any other on her sister's body, heart or mind, but gentleness and kindness could do just that, given enough time. She closed her eyes and focused on healing that particular bruise, and when she removed her hand, Willow's face just barely had a trace of swelling from the strong hit. "Rania," Willow began trying to stop Rania from walking away from her and the others again.

Rania turned partially around and the look in her eyes said more to her family than any words could, "I know." She said as she turned around again, heading deep into the woods.

"Why does she do that?" Autumn asked aloud.

"Because it's part of who she is, Autumn, she has always dealt with the emotions she allows herself to have privately, away from everyone else." Dulcea said looking down the path that Rania had taken.

A long while later, Tommy and Rocky had started the grill and were cooking hamburgers and the like when Rania seemingly appeared out of nowhere and swiped the plate out of Tommy's hand startling him yet again.

"Jeezus Christmas Rania what are you trying to do give me a heart attack?" he exclaimed as she smirked handing it back.

"Nahh. If I'd have wanted that to happen it would have already." She said turning away from him.

"Rania," Tommy said handing Rocky the grill tongs as the three youngest Rangers looked on. "Could I talk to you without a crowd for a moment?"

Rania studied Tommy's face for a moment and nodded silently.

Those that saw the exchange looked at the empty space they'd occupied. Rocky looked at Aisha as she handed him her plate for a refill. "I don't know but those two are acting awfully odd all the sudden." She said quietly.

"Yeah tell me about it." Rocky said, glancing at the house, which appeared to be quiet inside.

Meanwhile Tommy had led Rania to his study, where the door locked and he made certain to lock the door. Nervously, he raked his hand through his short hair and sat at his desk. Rania sat on the outer edge of the armchair on the other side of the desk, uninvited.

Tommy looked at his desk for a moment, gathering his thoughts and his gaze fell on an old, much-loved picture frame that held two pictures, each was a group of people he considered to be his family, Jan and Thomas Oliver, and David Trueheart; the other side holding his Ranger family, as many of them that could be crammed into the picture.

Rania sensed the tension in the new Black Ranger and stayed silent, for once remembering that her big mouth had gotten her into more trouble than it was really worth sometimes.

After what seemed like a long time, Tommy looked up at Rania and said, "I'm not fooling anyone here in saying that until recently I was pretty sure that Nikki and I were going to get back together again, and then this all happens…" he trailed off, trying to find a nice way to say what he knew he had to.

"More accurately I breeze back into your once-quiet life and stir up the pot." Rania said mixing several expressions.

"Weelll, yeah." Tommy answered slowly, "What makes it worse is that I think several of the others may have an interest, even a passing one in you." He finished, looking away from her penetrating gaze.

Rania shook her head slowly, "Nothing that you have said surprises me. I saw the look on your face when we walked into Nikki's room, and I'm not foolish enough to believe that there is nothing between you and her."

Tommy smirked as he spun in his chair, trying to relax under the eerie gaze of the elder warrior.

"Why does everyone tense up around me?" Rania asked quietly, "I've seen it among the girls alone and even the ones that haven't actually taken the time to introduce themselves."

Tommy smiled shaking his head, "For one thing most of the guys are a bit tongue-tied around you, and the girls, well other than your sister you exude a certain … " he fumbled for the right word, "presence that they don't quite know what to think about, they've never dealt with before." He finished, realizing that Rania wasn't upset with what he had indirectly said. He walked past her on his way to the door and was startled as his fingers started to turn the lock when her cold hand touched his wrist lightly.

"You're not the only one trying to sort out how they feel. I've had a lot dumped on me in the past few weeks, on top of old emotions that I had thought dealt with." She said as he opened the door.

Tommy nodded, grateful that Rania didn't seem to be paying much attention to the fact that there was a lot more that he wanted to say but there were a lot of complications, Nikki among them. _"I just do not know what I want now; I thought I did before the past few weeks came about."_ He thought as he walked away from his study, feeling no clearer in his mind then he did before.

Rania paused at the doorway and watched as Tommy left and headed towards the others, "_You're not the only one who's confused Tommy."_ She thought to herself as she also rejoined the group, finding a place close but still at a slight distance from everyone.

Nikki noticed this and walked to where Rania sat alone. "Why are you still keeping a distance, Rania? None of us bite you know."

Rania smiled a little as she watched the group, "It's just what I've always done, Nikki, and no offence is meant."

"Too much time alone lets people dwell on things that should be left alone, Rania." Nikki said as she watched Willow and Kris try to spend some time with a wary Destiny, who hadn't quite forgiven their actions regarding Nikki.

"So it does. I'm used to that too." Rania said as they sat watching the group.

"Besides I was kind of hoping to ask you something." Nikki said, chewing on her lip.

"Ask me about what?" Rania asked suspiciously, having learned early on about Nikki's often-loaded questions.

Nikki laughed as she watched several of the large group pairing off for a few rounds of sparring matches, Tommy and Adam among the group. "Well, anybody with eyes that knows Tommy even slightly knows that he's acting kind of funny suddenly. He has since I've been here in Reefside after you guys got me out of that place…" Nikki's voice faltered as Rania smirked at her.

"And you want to know my feelings on the subject, if not my own feelings about Tommy." Rania finished for her, and it was clear to Nikki that Rania was deliberately hiding her emotions from her behind a cool mask of near-indifference.

Nikki looked at her guiltily, "Well yeah kinda." She fiddled with her gold chain with a unicorn pendant on it (a gift from Destiny and Autumn shortly after they found out that they were all family).

Rania laughed softly, "Honestly, well," she floundered for a moment trying to sum it up, "I really don't know. It's a little strange seeing most of these guys now, most of you aren't children anymore, and right now I'm really confused." Rania admitted, locking her eyes on Nikki's.

Nikki nodded, "I think I understand what you mean. It's how I've felt for awhile too, I mean what happened between us after we graduated from college together was not exactly planned, nor was Amanda but I wouldn't change anything that has happened for the world."

"Does he know?" Rania asked quietly.

"Yeah he does now, but it's been pretty rough on both him and Amanda. I'm just glad that Jan and Thomas Oliver have been as supportive of me as they have, and let me tell Tommy on my terms. Rania, I think I really botched it that time. I mean I really did and do care about him, but I think he's really hurt."

Rania nodded watching the different sparring matches. "I can understand how he feels, and why he feels that way. I mean he went almost 8 years not knowing that he had a child at all, and that would kind of sting anyone no matter who they are."

"The only really good thing is that when they're together they get along really well. Amanda and Tommy both know but it's a little weird for them, I mean she knows Jason and Des really well too and stuff." Nikki said picking up her glass from the hard ground at her feet.

"That's a positive thing though, Nikki, she's learning that you can care about more than one person at a time, and still not be disloyal to anyone." Rania said picking up a nearby napkin and twisting it anxiously in her hands.

"Rania," Nikki said putting her hand on her forearm, "Just follow your heart." She finished as she stood up and walked away, leaving Rania even more confused than she was before she and Nikki talked.

Rania seemed to distance herself further from the group as Ethan and Conner settled into a slightly haphazard sparring match where Tommy was attempting to direct them both in ways to improve. She was so far focused on her own thoughts that Dulcea startled her when she tapped her shoulder, "Let's show them a real sparring match." She said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. They picked up their respective staves and headed to the clearing.

As their match progressed, more and more of the Rangers old and new sat or stood around to watch the intense match between them. Dulcea and Rania were virtually evenly matched, though it seemed to some of them, Rania was holding back some of her strength. In one swift movement of the staff Rania swept Dulcea off of her feet and pulled back from a kill swipe as Dulcea caught her breath from the rough landing.

The two focused so solely on the other that the comments spoken softly by the ones watching never reached their ears. Both were determined to get the last strike, and neither was willing to give an inch. Finally Dulcea got in a good, solid hit and sent Rania backwards a few large steps before she recovered her balance. Mere moments later Rania disarmed Dulcea with a simple flick of her staff that Dulcea would ordinarily have been able to block. Rania looked at her and tossed the staff aside. Dulcea nodded as Rania caught her breath briefly. After a moment or so, Dulcea began attacking from different angles, searching for any weak spots in Rania's defenses, carefully and deliberately not attacking from behind. Eventually, Rania saw an opening and with a lightning-fast move had Dulcea by the shoulders, pinching a nerve. After a few seconds she asked, "Do you give?"

Dulcea nodded as Rania instantly released the nerve blocks and stepped away to retrieve her staff and found it moved from where she was certain it had landed. A moment later she saw it out of the corner of her eye as Tommy held it out to her with a look that Rania wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to know the meaning of. Destiny noticed and elbowed Nikki and motioned with her eyes at the exchange. Nikki shrugged as pangs of guilt ate at her because she knew that some of Tommy's hesitation was about Mandy.

That evening passed and it was soon spring break and the Dino Thunder Rangers had their own projects to do, but they were never more than a communicator call away from Tommy, who promised to let them know if anything came up. Nikki had moved back in with Destiny and Jason with her daughter and the house in the woods of Reefside was mostly quiet, only Rania and Tommy seemed to have any sort of permanent or semi-permanent residence there. Dulcea was gone a lot, and nobody really wanted to know what she was up to.

Rania and Tommy both mostly avoided each other, each still trying to sort out their own feelings about the other, and both afraid of what the other thought. On the first evening of spring break the doorbell rang and Tommy opened the door, a little surprised to see Nikki and Mandy on the other side. "Hello." He said as he let them in.

"Hello." Mandy said as he went to the couch and sat down. Rania meanwhile looked at Nikki and decided that she wanted to vacate the immediate area for awhile and went to take a walk.

Time seemed to have very little meaning for Rania and for the first time since they'd met over eight years ago, Tommy startled her, looking quite nervous.

An amused smile crept over his face and annoyed her but not for the obvious reasons. "Guess it's only fair that I get to startle you once in awhile huh?"

"Yeah, guess so." Rania shrugged, trying to block the feelings out of her mind as he stood a bit closer to her than she thought that she should mind.

"Yeah, Nikki only wanted to pick my brain on a few things, and only one of those had to do with Mandy." He said avoiding the topic that had stretched the limits of their friendship.

"Really what were the other topics?" Rania asked; a pit in her stomach.

"Well, Nikki's known me for a long time, and she wanted to know the truth from me. She's always been a little too good at reading through lies, and it shows. Nikki has decided that she and I would be better off as friends, close friends but what was between us is gone now it seems." Tommy admitted.

"Her recent lack of trust being one of the reasons for that I would guess." Rania said evenly.

"Well that and she and Adam have gotten pretty close lately. He likes you a lot, but it's different with Nikki for him. Besides…" Tommy floundered.

Rania raised an eyebrow as they turned and began walking towards the house again. "There's something you're not telling me."

"Yeah, there is." He admitted sheepishly, seeming to Rania to become the kid that she remembered for a moment. "The thing is I'm not sure how to say it, but I wrote something that I want you to read that may make sense, and all I ask is that you read it in its entirety before you say anything to me." He said as he opened the door and walked to the mantle where he had stashed the letter in a hurry one day not too long ago. "I was trying to straighten my head out and decided that maybe a letter might help me make sense of it all." He said handing the letter to Rania and making a quick exit to the kitchen.

Rania's hands shook slightly as she opened the sealed envelope and saw that the letter was handwritten in Tommy's characteristic slanted, hard writing.

_Rania,_

_Since I can't seem to get the words out of my mouth I thought I'd try writing them down. After I found out about Mandy I was willing to try to forge some kind of serious relationship with Nikki, and then I didn't hear from her for months on end, so I assumed that she didn't want a relationship with me after all. Then you basically appeared out of thin air in my house, and changed everything on me, quite unknowingly I'm sure. I had thought that I had put the feelings I had had a long time ago about you to rest, but when I saw you then, it seemed like only yesterday we'd met._

_Even on paper I'm not sure that there's a 'nice' way to put this, but as far as I can tell I feel more strongly about you than I have about anyone else that I have ever met. I'd like to see where these feelings lead, but only if you're willing to try, and in that I assume you have the same kinds of feelings as I do._

_Tommy_

Rania stopped and reread the letter slowly, and looked up and found herself looking into Tommy's dark eyes, which looked as troubled as she felt.

"Well, did that explain anything?" he asked quietly.

"Yes and no. What does Nikki think about even the possibility of something being between us I mean... it's a little weird for me...?" Rania said trying to make the question in her head make sense.

"I happen to think it's a great idea." Nikki said startling the both of them. "Relax; she's in the bathroom right now. I had been in the spare bedroom where my stuff had been to see if my other necklace was back there." She said at their looks.

"You mean you don't mind?" Rania's voice asked in Nikki's mind, opening the channel between them.

"No, besides Adam and I have kinda started a new chapter, and on top of that Tommy and I'd never work out in the long-term, we're too alike." Nikki answered with a smile.

Rania nodded and they turned their attention to the now-confused Tommy. "Sorry about that, I wanted to pick my sister's brain for a moment." Rania said flippantly.

Tommy shook his head, "Isn't it a little dangerous to go in there?"

Rania and Nikki laughed, "No more dangerous than your creepy little brain for me." Rania said lightly.

Nikki sat down on the edge of the sofa as the toilet flushed and the door opened. "Well what are you two thick-headed mules going to do?" she demanded as each seemed to try to figure things out. "Oh for the sake of the Great Power," She muttered shaking her head. "You two really are thick sometimes."

"Nikki, I think we could use a few minutes to ourselves right now." Tommy said, adding "Not to be rude or anything."

Nikki shook her head, "No that was exactly rude, Tommy, but I know what you meant by that, besides we have to get going for now." Nikki and Mandy left and once more the two were left alone.

Rania brought her knees up to her chin, curling up in the chair she still sat in as Tommy locked the door. "That way we get some warning before unwanted visitors show up." He said as he sat on the low coffee table again.

"Well that simplified things a lot for me, I think." Rania said as he settled in for what promised to be a long discussion.

"I think it did, though it still creeps me out that she heard most of that conversation." Tommy agreed as Rania relaxed a little bit.

"Yeah, same here, though this tangent isn't solving our own issues either." Rania said looking intently at him.

Tommy nodded, trying to find a way to just say what he thought, and felt, and get it into the open. _"I never used to have this problem before."_ Tommy thought to himself as Rania's eyes fixed on his.

_"Never used to have what problem?"_ Rania asked in his mind, _"And my apologies for barging in like this, but it seems we both have developed a block in communication, at least with each other."_

_"It's all right. I'm probably as confused as you are, if not more so."_

Rania smiled as she carefully pulled her mind out of his and said, "Again I didn't intend for that to happen, and I feel pretty rotten that it did."

"Entering other people's minds you mean?" He asked, startling himself slightly by tracing one of the white streaks in her hair that was close to her face as he spoke.

"Yeah." Rania said, following his hand with her eyes, "I was taught not to do that deliberately, and to never do that without some form of permission first."

He smiled as he leaned closer to her, "I didn't mind it."

A little startled, Rania pushed past Tommy and fled to her room at the back of the house, leaving him looking confused and after a few moments of staring down the hall he picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.

Seconds later the phone was answered and Destiny's familiar voice came over the phone, "Hello."

"Hey, Des its Tommy is Dulcea there by chance?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah, is something wrong?" Destiny asked, clearly moving around her house with the phone, ignoring the looks from her family.

"Not wrong, Des, but I wanted to pick her brain for a moment, and I think she's going to be the only person who would know this answer." Tommy said, pacing around the room as he waited for Dulcea to pick up the extension.

"Ok here she is." Destiny said handing the phone to Dulcea who looked at it strangely and followed Destiny's lead.

"Hello?" Dulcea said a little hesitantly.

"Dulcea, I was wondering if Rania's ever been involved with anyone in a less than platonic way before." Tommy said bluntly, figuring if anyone knew about such a thing, Dulcea would be the only one.

Dulcea stopped and said as she mentally scanned the years past, "Not to my knowledge, no why?"

"No real reason yet, its just I've noticed that she's acting like she's dealing with something and doesn't know how to." Tommy fudged, trying to avoid stating the obvious to her.

"All right, but just keep an eye on her as much as she'll let you, she can be a bit impulsive when she doesn't know what to do."

"I will." Tommy promised as he said, "Thanks and I'll talk to you guys later. Bye." He hung up the phone and decided to get some work done.

During that same time Rania sat crosse\-legged on the bed and tried to meditate the confusion out of her mind, if not her heart. She didn't really understand what was going on within herself other than the fact that somehing deep inside was waking up for the first time since the deaths of her comrades. The fact that a single human could awaken these long-banished sensations even fruther troubled her and Rania resolved to forget them.

The next week was perhaps the longest that Tommy had ever lived through. He spent as much time as he could manage in the main rooms, or in his lab, where he could quietly keep track of what Rania might be up to. Conner, Ethan and Kira came by on several of the afternoons to check up on him and see if there was anything that they needed to do. Fortunately Mesogog was being incredibly and uncharacteristically quiet and Tommy didn't like that.

"When he hits us the next time it's going to be big so be ready." He told them on the night before school was supposed to start up again.

The next morning came and as had become the usual, Rania was off training he supposed her door was open and she was gone, as was her staff.

Tommy shrugged and checked to make sure his cell number and office number for the school were on the fridge and left for the school.

As Nikki sat at the kitchen table helping Mandy with her school work her cell phone rang, startling both of them. "Hello." She answered the phone as Mandy moved on to the next question in the assignment.

"Hey, Sunshine, glad I caught you." Rocky said cheerfully, "Listen what are your plans for tomorrow night?"

"_Umm_," she thought, "Nothing much why?" Nikki answered guardedly.

"Oh nothing really, Aisha, Adam and I were planning on seeing a movie tomorrow night and we thought you would like to join us." What he failed to mention was that Aisha had every intention of arranging for Adam and Nikki to have to sit together.

"I'd love to, but…" she trailed off as Jason walked into the room carrying a wiggling Hayden at the same moment that Mandy tapped her hand, needing some help with a math problem.

Jason swiped the phone from her hand as Nikki leaned across the table to see what her question was. "Soo what's her ingenious excuse this time?"

"I believe it has something to do with our famous and well-loved niece." Rocky said amicably, though unable to hide his disappointment.

Jason laughed, "Well this time she doesn't have the liberty of that particular excuse. Des and I are going to watch her so she can go be a grown-up for a few hours."

"That would be great, though I'm a little worried about being a pawn in Aisha's little matchmaking scheme if this doesn't work out."

"Well, cross that bridge if you get to it." Jason said hanging up the phone. He put Hayden in his high chair, where he could be belted in so he would have to eat before getting food all over the place.

Nikki turned and glared at Jason, "How do you even know I wanted to go out tomorrow night?"

"That doesn't particularly matter to me right now. All you've done for the past few weeks is mope and you could use a little time to be Nikki, not Mommy all the time."

"In other words I'm driving you and Des crazy." Nikki smiled, realizing that they were probably right.

"Well, kinda yeah, but we love you anyway." He said lightly as she playfully swatted at him.

Evening came, and it was well after Mandy's bedtime when Nikki was about to head to her own room when Jason grabbed her wrist lightly, "Can I ask you a really personal question?"

"You can ask it, but I might not answer it." Nikki said walking towards the living room, which was out of Mandy's hearing range.

"Fair 'nuff." Jason shrugged as Destiny walked past the room on her way to get a drink. "How do you really feel about Tommy's potential relationship with Rania?" he asked without preamble, or much tact.

Destiny glared at her husband from the kitchen doorway, "That's a hell of a question for you to ask." She said coldly.

Nikki smiled as she shook her head, "No, Des, he's right I really need to sort that out before someone gets their feelings hurt and badly."

Destiny nodded, holding her free hand up in a position of defeat. "In that case I'm going to bed, see you guys later."

Nikki drew her knees to her chest protectively as Jason's gaze seemed to penetrate her mind, "I want them both to be happy, but…"

"You still wonder what could have been." Jason finished quietly.

"Yeah, I do." Nikki admitted.

"Well then, what are you going to do?" Jason asked her, "You have to make the decision you think is right, particularly for Mandy."

"I know that, Jase, but it doesn't make the answer any clearer." Nikki said running her hands through her hair.

"No, it doesn't, Nikki, but only you can decide if you will be interfering or encouraging them to be happy. The complication is quite simply this; you will be involved in their lives whether you or they like it or not, for several reasons." Jason said putting the options out on the table for her.

Nikki nodded, "Perhaps I was right when I told Rania that he and I are too much alike."

"You are indeed, though between us I can think of at least one Ranger who does like you, and a lot at that."

"What? Who?" Nikki asked, trying to think of who it might be.

Jason smiled, "If I told you I could get into very big trouble. Open your eyes is all I can tell you. Good night, hon.' He said giving her a hug as he went to bed.

Nikki sat in the living room for several long minutes before heading to her room to sleep.

The next night she did go out with Rocky, Aisha and Adam, who did seem to fit Jason's billing, and yet he did not. They sat at the park, talking.

"Nikki, I want to tell you something, without you getting mad at me for this, and after this statement we don't have to talk about this subject any more if you don't want to. I got an email from Tommy right after he found out about having a child. He was really hurt by your choice to not tell him. He really cared about you then, and cares about you now, however now there is a seed of doubt in his mind, and you know how Tommy can be sometimes." Adam said in a rush.

Nikki grimaced, "I know all too well how Tommy can be, Adam and I wish I could undo it, but I can't." Frustrated tears stung her eyes and slid out from under her lids.

"You're human, Nikki, we all are." Adam said giving her a light hug.

"What's worse is I'm pretty sure he hates me now." Nikki said telling Adam one of her biggest fears.

"I don't really think Tommy hates you, hon." Adam said, making her look at him, "He's still really hurt, it takes time to adjust to the information that you have a child when you never had a clue before."

"Don't say stuff just to make me feel better." Nikki snapped pulling away from Adam.

"Nichole, you should know me better than that, I've never patronized anyone in my life what the hell makes you think I'd start now?" Adam demanded, more than a little insulted that Nikki would even consider such a ridiculous concept.

"I'm sorry, Adam its just the last few months have been really difficult. Between Rania showing up out of the blue, saving my ass, and Willow and Kris betraying us all like that…" her voice trailed off as she avoided some of the more painful issues.

"It's all right, I'm not mad." Adam said, pulling her into is arms again, "You've been virtually alone for too long."

Their silences were comfortable and yet there was a tension that seemed all too familiar to Nikki. Before what seemed like moments, but was really hours it was getting late and Adam said, "Pumpkin time, Cinderelly." In his best mouse impression from the movie.

"Aww man. I was just getting used to being an adult too." Nikki pretended to be hurt.

They laughed as they got into Adam's car and he drove her to the house, "Nikki, I just wanted to say, I had a good time tonight."

Nikki smiled brightly at Adam as she leaned over the console to give him a hug, "Thanks, I did too."

Adam stayed by the curb until he saw her turn around and wave as she went inside the house. "If only you'd open your eyes and see what's before you." He said softly to himself as he drove away.

Nikki paused just inside the door as she thought about the night, "Wait, when did this happen? Adam's always been just 'one of us' this is kind of nice." She thought to herself as she steered herself to her room.

The early days directly after Spring Break were quiet, as was the first Thursday evening. Morning came again and Tommy left for school as he did, unaware that Rania wasn't incredibly far from the house that time and swung out of the tree she'd been crouching in and went back inside, not expecting anything out of the ordinary inside. What Rania found was quite the opposite.

Soleil sat quite comfortably on the sofa looking at the door. "So, you've taken up with the Rangers again after all huh?" she sneered.

"Hello Soleil, as angry and bitter as ever I see." Rania said coldly. "What do you want?"

"Same thing I always have." The taller blond answered walking towards Rania, who backed away. "So tell me, Rania are you going to make this easy and give up this time?"

"Not a chance in hell." Rania answered, realizing that Soleil wasn't going to back down this time any more than she had the last time.

Soleil glared at her, "You sure it wouldn't be easier to just give in like I did?"

"Since when has easier been right?" Rania demanded, her temper threatening to flare.

"Since always, sister dear." Soleil said evilly, lunging for Rania, who barely dodged her.

Rania tried to get into the open part of the living room, _"Boy I hope Tommy doesn't lose it when he sees the mess we're about to make."_ She thought as she barely dodged another hit from Soleil who fell into the sofa, moving it forward several inches. "Why don't you just leave me alone Soleil? That was your name once." Rania snapped, pushing her backwards into the wall roughly.

"I can't sister dear." She answered as she lunged at her and this time caught her barely by the arms and flung her around in a haphazard circle and released Rania, who flipped gracelessly onto the large coffee table at the side of the room. "Gahh!" she gasped as Soleil charged at her with her own staff. "I don't think so!" Rania said darkly, wrenching it out of her grip. "That's mine."

Soleil flew several feet backwards into the floor lamp, which promptly crashed onto the floor, sending Soleil to the floor as well. "Seems to me that you've lost your magic touch there, Sis." Rania said darkly, seeming to tower over her sister.

Soleil struggled to her feet briefly then her eyes showed none of the confusion that she had briefly felt. She charged at Rania, whose heel slammed into the table and fell backwards, sending the rest of the lamps in the room tumbling down like dominoes. Soleil landed on top of her, her trademark blue leather garments falling around them. "Get - off – of – me." Rania grunted struggling against her deceptively slender half-sister.

"Seems to me you're the one without the magic touch there Rania." Soleil said smugly as she prepared to strike her sister again.

"Am I now?" Rania said squirming just barely enough to wiggle her legs free and kicked Soleil in the back of her head, nearly freeing herself as Rania felt the sturdy leather sleeve come partially apart in her hands. She wrenched it the rest of the way loose and flung it into the mayhem in the middle of the living room, trying to send a signal of who was responsible.

Rania bucked upwards again and this time managed to get Soleil off of her, and scrambled for her staff. "Oh no you don't!" Soleil screeched as Rania barely grabbed hold of the familiar wood.

"Oh yes I do!" Rania thundered back, shoving it backwards into Soleil who backed away, barely out of range. She drew her own weapon of choice, a sword that Rania recognized as one of her own gifts to Soleil years before. The two battled fiercely in the dim room and eventually Soleil managed to cleave the beloved staff into pieces, but in so doing the sword split down the middle. "Forgot to tell you that whoever bears my weapons against me has them fall apart beyond repair." Rania said catching her breath in the precious moments that Soleil stared at her own weapon.

"You destroyed my sword!" She screamed as she scooped up the pieces and shoved them into the sheath, using the hilt as a kind of stopper. Soleil grabbed hold of Rania's arm and dragged her through the house to the door, and pushed her into the bright sunlight. For whatever reason of her own, Soleil shut the door, and locked it. Soleil glanced about and seconds later an invisiportal appeared and she pushed Rania through it, and followed suit.

That afternoon Tommy and the three other Dino Thunder Rangers arrived out there in his Jeep and as Tommy unlocked the door, a pit formed in his stomach. He opened the door and the four of them looked at the disaster in the living room. "My God what happened here?" Ethan said looking in.

"I don't know. You three stay outside." Tommy ordered, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. His hand shook as he managed to make the phone open the phonebook it had and pushed the button for Destiny's house.

"Hello?" Nikki answered cheerfully and Tommy could hear the upbeat music in the background.

"Nikki, is everyone else around?" Tommy asked, his voice sounding sort of shaken.

"Yeah, why? You sound upset." Nikki said as she turned off the radio unceremoniously.

"Well I just got home and my living room looks like a war zone." Tommy said looking at his students/teammates.

"What kind of war zone?" Nikki asked, her own danger sense going off.

"Like someone had a hell of a fight in my house." Tommy answered as he carefully picked his way through the mess and found the pieces of Rania's staff. "Oh shit." Tommy swore, picking up the cleaved pieces.

"What?" Nikki demanded motioning for everyone to get ready to go.

"I just found Rania's staff in two pieces." Tommy answered tightly, unable to hide exactly how upset that made him.

"Dammit!" Nikki cursed as she paced around the room. "We'll be there as soon as we can." She said as she hung up and jumped into the waiting van.

"Dr. O. are you ok?" Kira asked, peeking in before she realized what he was holding.

"No, Kira, I'm really not. But I will be." Tommy answered distantly, hoping that Rania was really all right.

About an hour or so later a dark colored van pulled into the driveway and the myriad of Rangers jumped out, along with Dulcea who silently walked into the house and found the hunk of blue leather in the rubble not far from what appeared to be a shard of metal. She cursed loudly in her native language and walked to where the others were. "We have a very big problem." She said, her voice sounding as strangled as Tommy's had on the phone to Nikki's ears.

"Why, what is that?" Tommy asked taking the bit of leather from her.

"The only person I have ever known to wear that shade of blue dyed leather is Soleil." Dulcea said her eyes bright.

Tommy glanced over his shoulder at the dark house. "Well the good news is that I didn't see any blood."

"Neither did I." Dulcea said slowly.

"Well then the question is now what are we going to do?" Kira said looking from one to the next of the older Rangers.

"First we have to find her and after that…" Tommy's voice trailed off as the worst possibility crossed his mind.

"It'll take more than just a fight like that to kill her, Tommy." Dulcea said, sounding rather unconvinced.

"Finding her will be easier if you guys go into the lab." Hayley said walking up to them.

"All right," Tommy said turning his attention to the youngest three. "You three be careful you're Rangers not invincible."

They picked their way through to the lab and Tommy punched in his access code and they immediately went to work. After a few minutes Destiny grabbed Nikki and Willow and pulled them into the other room along with Jason. "We're crowding them. Let's get this mess cleaned up."

Inside the lab they heard Hayley say "That's strange there was an invisiportal open here this morning."

"Where did it open up to?" Tommy asked, becoming all-business to hide that he was more upset than he showed.

"Mesogog's fortress." Hayley answered quietly, wincing at the look on his face.

"Now he's made it personal." Everyone in the house heard him say in a dark tone that his former team mates recognized as the tone that Tommy only used when a monster was going down – and hard if he had any say in it.

"We're going with you." Conner said as he, Ethan and Kira stood in his way.

"Not this time. It's too dangerous where they're holding her." Tommy answered, shaking his head.

"Then let one of us go with you. She is our sister you know." Nikki said, as she and the other Purple Rangers held their respective morphers in hand.

Tommy glared at them but relented, "I see that I'm getting outvoted on this one so, Nikki you go with me, the rest of you, prepare for everything since I don't know what's going to be on the other side waiting on us." He said as he and Nikki both morphed.

They approached the coordinates that Hayley had programmed into the bikes and they managed to get into the fortress. Nikki tried reaching for Rania's mind the way Rania had reached for hers and found nothing.

"This isn't good. I don't know where she is." Nikki said softly as they searched the huge fortress slowly.

Eventually their search became easier as Rania's screams echoed off the halls. Both Tommy and Nikki paled behind their masked and Nikki noticed by the change in his walk that Tommy's temper was about to explode on whoever had the gall to cause that much pain.

They arrived at the door and as Nikki forced the lock open with her blaster, they saw a sight that shocked the both of them. Rania was tied down to a surgical table and Mesogog and Soleil preparing to turn Rania into one of the creatures that populated his world. "I won't let you." Rania spat at them as she used her mind to bend yet another tool with her mind, knowing that the backfeed was going to make her scream again.

"Leave her alone!" Nikki ordered them, startling even Mesogog. "I thought there were only four Rangers." He barked at Soleil.

"Well I called in a friend with a vested interest in this time." Tommy said, his voice shaking with rage. "You," he pointed at Soleil "Are in more trouble than you know right now." He finished as Nikki grabbed Soleil's arm and flung her into the nearest panel. Tommy and Mesogog squared off, and the evil boss was clearly trying to keep Tommy away from a certain button that Tommy found not within his reach anyway, and not by a very large margin.

Tommy and Mesogog fought for a few moments before Tommy found that same button that had looked interesting. The label read "do not push". Naturally his instinct was to push the button and Rania bonds were snapped back into their 'resting' position. She sprang off of the hated table, nearly crashing into Tommy, who pushed her towards the door. "Rania – go!" he shouted as he found himself being surrounded by Tyrannodrones.

After what seemed like ages to Rania both Nikki and Tommy came running at her and Tommy grabbed her arm as he passed on the bike, the engine revving as they sped towards the portal. They fled through it and watched as it closed behind them, for the time being.

Soon they were back at the house and as they pulled in they both de-morphed and studied Rania, who looked little worse for wear. "Rania," Tommy said looking at her a little differently as she turned to face him again, a question on her face. Nikki shook her head at the others who crowded around the doorway and walked towards them. "We need to give them a few minutes to themselves you guys." Nikki said firmly pushing them all back into the house and away from the windows as well.

Tommy looked at Rania again, and this time grabbed her hands gently, earning him a strange look. "I want you to know something that I've been trying to say for months, but first I want you know that nothing I've ever been through ever filled me with as much dread as finding your staff in pieces." He began slowly, trying to find an answer to a question he didn't know how to ask in her eyes. "I thought you were lost forever and it made me realize that life is shorter than it ever was now. And finding you gone really made me realize exactly how bleak my life is without you around." He said watching her face carefully.

Rania studied his face for a moment and asked, "What do you mean by bleak?"

He shook his head, "I don't know how to explain it. But I'd like to try another walk, away from curious eyes." He said motioning with his eyes to the windows.

"I agree." Rania said as they walked away from the house and disappeared into the woods.

After about ten minutes or so of walking Tommy stopped under a huge oak tree and tipped her chin so that she'd have to look him in the eyes this time, "When I thought you were lost to us, I felt like someone had dropped a thousand bricks on me at once. I realized that I hadn't told you how I felt, or even really shown it." He said tracing a bruise on her shoulder.

Rania chewed on her lip, uncertain what he meant, but knew that she herself understood what it meant to be confused.

"A friend once told me it is often easier to show someone than it is to tell them how you feel." Tommy said trying a different tactic as his gaze softened. _"Here goes nothing, or everything."_ He thought to himself as he tipped his head forward slightly and gently kissed her lips, startling her.

_"What is this?" _Rania's mind raced, as he pulled away, _"Though I think I do understand what he can't say."_ Her mind finished as he pulled away.

His slight smile said a lot as Rania's expression changed to one of recognition. "I hope I didn't you know," He said uncertain of exactly what Rania thought about the kiss.

"Upset me?" Rania supplied quietly, "No, it's just that I've never had to deal with these emotions before, ever, and sometimes I just don't know."

"Dulcea mentioned as much when I asked her about it awhile ago." He said still having a hard time believing that he and Rania were really back in the woods, together.

"I'm glad you and Nikki came to get me. I couldn't stand it if they'd have finished what they were planning…" Rania's eyes burned as she struggled to shake off the images in her head about what they wanted to turn her into.

"I'd have done it with or without my own feelings involved, Rania, though because he tried to take you away from me – us – it became personal for me." He said taking her hands into his and noticed for the first time that she was much that smaller than he was.

"I guess I just seem bigger than I am." Rania said wryly noticing his look.

"I don't care." He said quietly, "As long as you're safe."

"I am, for now. Soleil won't stop you know." Rania said tracing his cheek gently. "She hasn't yet succeeded in what she wants to do."

"And if I have any say in it she won't." Tommy said, capturing her hands again, pulling her close. Rania's eyes flew open, but she relaxed after a moment, realizing that being that close to Tommy wasn't an unpleasant sensation.

They stood like that for several minutes when Tommy reluctantly pulled away from Rania, "As much as I'm enjoying myself your family is probably half-insane wanting to see for themselves that you're all right."

"I am now." Rania said, finally understanding the conflicting emotions that she'd felt for the past few months.

He smiled as they headed back towards the house where Nikki and Rocky stood at the grill, fixing the first round of hamburgers and hotdogs. "I swear what is it with you two and food?" Nikki teased, seeing the difference in their stances.

"What can I say? My gut overruleth." Tommy laughed and grabbed her arm lightly, "Thanks." He said quietly as Rania went inside.

Nikki smiled, "You should know that I'd have gone anyway. You two seem different now though."

He shook his head at her, content to keep the events to himself. Her knowing smirk told him that she had a pretty good idea what did happen.

After a few minutes the others came outside and without really thinking about it Tommy found himself standing behind Rania as they were talking to Destiny and Jason.

Jason looked at them strangely, "When did this happen?"

Rania laughed, "I think it has always been that way but the both of us were a little slow on the uptake on it."

"A little?" Nikki laughed as she joined the group with Adam and Rocky. "If you two got any more obvious about it to the rest of us someone was bound to beat you both about the head."

Tommy shook his head, "Some things just take time, Nikki." He answered, taking a sip of his drink.

"I for one am just glad that everyone's all right." Destiny said, looking at the bruises that lingered on Rania arms and she presumed there were more than those all over her frame. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm sure, Destiny. I'll be fine after a good night's sleep and a bath." Rania reassured her, hoping to convince her.

No one seemed to question her statement, and for that Rania was relieved. She was beyond tired and very sore both from the fight with Soleil and the general stress of the past few weeks and yet she felt energized in a way she never had before.

Dulcea approached them with something in her hands. "It is time." She said unwrapping Rania's morpher and communicator of old and holding them out to her.

Rania's hands recoiled as if Dulcea held poison. "I do not want it." She said backing away from Dulcea.

"You are still being stubborn, Rania." Dulcea said, her voice hard.

Rania glared at Dulcea, "I do not want it." She repeated darkly.

A dark rumbling was heard behind the house and Rania made a face and ran around to the back of the house and found that there were two very similar tigerzords at the back door. One was her own long-time friend, the other she wasn't so sure about. Two sabers floated in the air before her and one spoke to her, "Why do you forsake me, Rania? We were once invulnerable together." The metallic voice sounded sad.

Rania closed her eyes as the memories of so many victories flooded her mind. "I do not forsake you old friend, I do not want to become what I am no longer." she said to it as the others skidded to a stop.

"Saba!" Tommy exclaimed as the other saber zoomed over to where he was. "How can that be?"

"Because the Powers of Light are not so easily vanquished." Saba said sharply, turning in Tommy's hand to look at Rania.

The other saber floated before Rania, looking into eyes so like its own, "You have run away from part of yourself for too long." It said as it turned away from Rania and into the Zord, where it sealed itself in. "Only when the true ally of the Light resumes her place will I come out of my slumber again." It said as the Zord clearly began to power down.

"Rania, something we've all learned in our time as Rangers, is that once a Ranger, always a Ranger." Tommy said as Saba floated beside him. "Don't run away from this part of yourself any longer, for me." He finished quietly so that the others wouldn't hear.

Rania closed her eyes again as the fateful last battle flashed before her eyes and when she opened them again a fire was seen in them that none except Dulcea had ever seen before. She turned to where Dulcea stood, still holding out the ancient morpher and communicator.

"These were once mine to bear. Their responsibility has ever been mine. Let Night flee at my approach once more." She said as a flash of blinding prismatic light cracked in the darkening evening. When their vision cleared Rania stood before them, a vision of her former strength and the wisdom of the Elders of many lost civilizations.

Their expressions alone almost made it worth it to her as she looked from her sisters to Dulcea, to those she counted as friends, finally looking at Tommy, whose expression stirred something in her that she didn't dare dwell on. His face shone with a light that seemed brighter than the others and Rania refused to let herself contemplate it as she de-morphed, her once-customary deep brown knee-length dress was replaced by a white knee-length dress with diamond shaped stripes of red, blue, green, and black encircling the straight skirt.

"You look absolutely like I remember." Destiny said, awed.

Rania turned and looked at the girl, "Do I now? What was I before?"

"An echo." Willow answered for Destiny. "We who stayed with you and Dulcea even for a little while saw what you were once through your masks."

Rania smiled tersely, "There is great peril in my accepting my Ranger duties as well. I bring enemies stronger than the strongest foes any team has ever faced, and more evil than any team. The closest comparison might be Master Org, from your team." Rania finished, looking at Cole. "Princess Shayla was once and remains a friend of mine, even in her slumber."

The former Wild Force Rangers nodded as they reflected on their guide through the maze as Rangers. "Do not despair her slumber, it is best that she rest, she is as weary as the rest of us old ones." Rania said gently, lifting Cole's chin.

"How old are you exactly?" Rocky asked.

"Old enough by the count of Phaedos to know better than to answer that question, Rocky." Rania answered him with a smile.

Rocky laughed, "Always a fair answer."

Rania smiled as Tommy's hand came to a rest on her shoulder, "I hope nobody minds if I steal her attention away again."

Most of the group snorted, "Yeah as if you care." Several of them were heard muttering. Nikki and Destiny each elbowed two of them for that comment, "Oh can it would you." Destiny said as Willow turned her attention to Rania and Tommy. "You can steal her attention away from the rest of us, for a little while."

The pair turned and went into the house, and Tommy leaned against the door, "I can't believe you accepted the responsibilities that have always been yours again."

"That makes two of us, Tommy." Rania admitted, her exhaustion slipping through the mask she wore in front of her family.

"Though I can't say that I'm sad to see you rejoin the Ranger family, even though you never really left." Tommy said, caressing her cheek.

Rania smiled slightly, the fading light illuminating her hair and eyes.

"You're tired, aren't you?" Tommy asked, seeing the look in her eyes more than her face.

"Yeah I am." Rania said as she turned to walk to her bedroom, her clothes swishing around her as she did.

"See you in the morning then." Tommy said as she turned around.

"See you then." Rania promised as Tommy went outside to make her excuses.

"She's just really wiped out." Tommy said to Nikki in response to Nikki's inquiring look.

"Rania's been through a lot today." Dulcea agreed. "She has been avoiding accepting her responsibilities as a Ranger for a very long time now, though I think there is much yet that even she doesn't understand about herself, or her powers."

The party waned on and the majority of the Rangers went to their respective homes for the night.

The following morning came, and Rania awoke slowly, her body screaming with pain. She forced herself out of the bed and down the hall virtually on willpower alone. Tommy was in the kitchen fixing his lunch to take with him to the school. "Morning." He called as he heard her door open.

"At least you didn't have the gall to say "'Good Morning.'" Rania muttered as she struggled to appear normal as she walked into the kitchen.

Tommy looked up and saw immediately that something was wrong. He set the sandwich fixings down, wiping his hands on a nearby towel before walking to where she was. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked.

"I thought I was, but this morning when I woke up I could barely move." Rania admitted wincing as he touched her back. "I feel like I've been run over a few times."

Tommy smiled sympathetically as he guided her to the table, "Lean on this, but I will warn you this is going to hurt until I get the muscles relaxed again." He said as he began massaging the tense muscles, beginning with her shoulders.

"Ahh!" Rania gasped as his hands grazed a particularly sore spot.

"Easy, Rania you have to try to relax or this won't do you any good." Tommy said patiently, trying to work out a rather large knot.

After a few long minutes Rania's back was less sore than it was and Tommy had to leave for work. "Try to take it easy today." He advised as he gathered the rest of his school related stuff and left for the high school.

Rania looked around her closet and found that the spell that she had used on her other clothes was gone, and in the place of the nondescript browns and tans and greens were the prismatic whites, blacks, crimson and hunter green that were once her trademarks. She pulled out a deep hunter green set of slacks and her favorite black tee-shirt. She tossed her clothes into the bathroom as the phone rang. She frowned at it but figured she'd answer it anyway.

"Hello?" Rania answered, taking the cordless phone back with her to her room to get the miscellaneous items that she needed for her bath.

"Hey, Rania." Destiny's cheerful voice said over the line. "I was going to have a big family dinner to celebrate you coming back to the Ranger family, and ours and besides we have some family issues that need to be cleared up."

"Sounds good. Do you guys mind if Tommy comes along?" Rania said absently chewing her thumbnail.

"Well naturally he'd have to, Rania considering he's the only one there with a car and a license and all." Destiny laughed merrily.

"I don't even want to know why you're in such a good mood." Rania said as she got ready to start the water. "Not to cut you short, what time should we be over there?"

"Around 7 or so is fine, see you then."

"All right, talk to you then. Bye." Rania hung up the phone and started the bath water. She stripped and soaked in the warm water.

After a few minutes Rania felt better and got out and dried off, dressing herself accordingly. She glared at her stick-straight hair which insisted upon doing absolutely nothing that she wanted it to. Rania picked up her brush and raked it through her hair again and decided that despite how bad it looked, to leave it down.

She looked at the clock and settled onto the couch with her current reading material, a book by Madeline L'Engle A Wrinkle In Time. Before she realized it, the time was already well after 3 o'clock and the sound of a key being inserted into the lock startled her as Tommy opened the door and walked in, looking a little frazzled.

"Bad day?" Rania inquired cautiously, recognizing the look from earlier returns from work.

"You might say that." He answered as he walked to his study to put his bag away.

"Destiny invited us to a 'family' dinner tonight. I told her we'd try to make it." Rania said watching his expression.

"Let me get showered and stuff and we can go." Tommy shrugged, not seeming too surprised or upset by the idea.

About an hour or so later Rania and Tommy climbed into his Jeep and he drove them to Destiny's house in Angel Grove. As they approached her house Tommy recognized several cars in front, including Rocky's, Nikki's and Willow's.

He pulled into an empty spot by the house and they got out, and were greeted by Destiny. "Hey you guys I'm glad you could make it."

"No problem. Rania wanted to go and who am I to stop her." Tommy shrugged as they went inside.

The dinner started out quite peacefully, everyone was enjoying themselves when the doorbell rang. Destiny and Jason were both stuck in the far corners of their dining room; one was cutting Mandy's meat for Nikki who was trying to get something out of the kitchen. "Don't worry guys I'm up I'll get it." She called as she opened the door and was nearly mowed down by Martin who burst into the living room quite uninvited.

"Excuse me who the hell invited you?" Nikki exclaimed grabbing his shirt, smelling the strong odor of alcohol on him.

"I did." He snarled at Nikki who didn't waver in her grip.

"Well we didn't." She answered him darkly, recognizing him after a moment.

"So? She's here, therefore I can be." Martin snarled drunkenly.

"Says who assmunch?" Rocky said standing between Martin and Willow, who happened to be sitting between him and Jason.

"Says me, boy." Martin sneered at Rocky.

"Save your trash talk for the curb, pal. You're not welcome here." Nikki said swinging him around to face her.

"So, they haven't put you back where you belong yet huh?" he said savagely taking a swing at her.

"According to MY doctors I'm fine." She answered dodging his hit and grabbing his wrist at a painful angle. "You, on the other hand are about to need your own doctor." She said twisting it harder.

"AAAaah!" he yelled as he felt the tendons in his arm give way.

"I don't like you, especially not now." Nikki said as the guys in the group formed a barrier between the fray and the rest of the family.

Nikki and Martin continued struggling with each other and eventually Nikki saw an opening and swept him off his feet, and he landed hard on the solid wood floor, shaking the whole house as he landed.

After a few long minutes the scuffle between Nikki and Martin was ended by the guys forcing Martin out of the house and off of the property under the threat of 'if he came back that night the police were going to be called and you will be arrested'. Willow, quite naturally was more of a nervous wreck than she had been earlier that night. Rania stood apart from the Purple Rangers, still feeling pretty much like an outsider.

Tommy stood behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders, feeling the tension in them. "Do you want to head out of here for awhile?" he asked in her ear quietly.

Rania nodded after a moment and walked to where Destiny was, "Despite the interruption I had a good time tonight, but I'm still kinda tired and I think I just need to get some more rest." She said as she looked at Destiny.

Destiny nodded and saw through the rested-content mask that Rania wore and said, "All right, I'm glad you guys made it, and I'm sorry that the dinner didn't go as we planned."

Rania smirked, "It happens Destiny, and we'll have other chances to get together later." She said shrugging on her lightweight coat.

Tommy drove back to Reefside, painfully aware of how quiet Rania was, particularly as they got closer to Reefside and away from the entire situation in Angel Grove. Finally he pulled the Jeep to the side of the road and looked at her, "Are you all right?" he asked running his fingers across her face gently.

"I've been better." Rania admitted quietly, "I guess I'll never really get used to having that many people around me at family gatherings now."

Tommy smiled sympathetically as Rania's fatigue showed through her cleverly disguised face. "You are more than a little tired, do you not sleep well?"

Rania laughed bitterly, "Sleep? I haven't done that in a long time, the thing is I'm not sure why I don't manage to sleep anymore, before I knew what was causing it, but now I just can't stay asleep for long."

Tommy caressed her cheek once more and said, "You'll find a way to rest soon, I'm sure." He thought to himself, _"Even if I have to find that way myself."_

As Tommy pulled the Jeep into the driveway he realized that Rania had fallen asleep in the vehicle when she had gotten quiet. He shook his head and climbed out the way he had as a teenager and ran to open the door and checked inside before going back to the Jeep. He quietly opened her door and carefully picked Rania up off of the seat and carried her into the house and set her down gently on her own bed, and covered her with her spare blanket. He paused at the doorway and looked over his shoulder at her sleeping form, _"I hope you get some rest tonight, Rania."_ He thought as he walked quietly down the hall to his own rooms and settled in for the night.

Tommy dozed off to sleep and was jolted awake by Rania's piercing scream of almost terror. "Rania!" he gasped as he flung the covers back and ran down the hall to her room. He stuck his head in the room and was startled to find that she was trapped in a nightmare that something in his head told him to not break her from, instead he knelt by the bed and brushed her hair away from her face and talked quietly to her, hoping against hope that in her dream she would hear him. It seemed to help and Rania eventually seemed to quiet in her sleep. Tommy sighed to himself and settled himself on the floor after retrieving his own spare blanket and pillow.

Morning came and Rania sat up, alone in her room and yet her room smelled different to her. It took her a moment to realize that the difference was Tommy's distinct smell._ "When was he here last?" _Rania wondered as she finished waking up.

Meanwhile Tommy was on the phone with Nikki. "So Nikki are you going to help me with this or not?" He asked as he heard Rania moving around in the back of the house.

"I don't know, Tommy it might not be a good idea." Nikki said, sounding unconvinced.

"I know you don't but I don't trust anyone else to help me get this set up and set up right." Tommy insisted as Rania's bedroom door opened.

"Oh, all right, I'll help you out." Nikki sighed, annoyed that Tommy was being so insistent.

"Thanks, I owe ya one. I got to go, time to leave for work." Tommy said hanging up the phone.

"Morning." Tommy said setting his things down by the door.

"Morning." Rania answered quietly as he hugged her.

"Well I can tell you why you wake up so tired, you're having nightmares." Tommy said gently as he pushed her sticky hair away from her face.

"I figured as much." Rania admitted as she realized that she must have reached for him in her sleep. _"The question is did I cry out in a dream to him or on this plane of consciousness?"_

Rania had settled in for a quiet day of reading when the phone rang. "Hello?" Rania asked into the receiver.

"Hello to you too." Nikki said cheerfully.

"Sounds like you had a good night." Rania said yawning.

"Yeah, I did. Listen, Tommy asked me to drive out and help you get a few things today, something about a surprise I think he said." Nikki said twirling the cord anxiously in her fingers as she talked.

"Surprise? I guess I forgot to mention that I hate surprises." Rania said warily as she gathered her clothes for the day.

Nikki laughed, "Yeah well I doubt if Tommy'd care that you don't like them, he likes to surprise people sometimes, and you'll have to take my word on this but I think you'll really like it."

"If you say so." Rania replied as she set her knee-length shimmery plum dress on the back of the bathroom door.

"I'll be out in about an hour to pick you up so we can get the things you'll need." Nikki said as they hung up.

"See you then." Rania said hanging up and starting the shower water.

Rania took a quick shower and was barely finished blow-drying her hair when Nikki knocked on the door.

"Hello, Nikki." Rania said heading back to her bathroom to finish brushing her hair.

"Good morning to you too." Nikki answered as she watched Rania walk back down the hall. _"Tommy I hope you're right or we're both toast."_ Nikki thought to herself as she followed Rania down the hall after a moment.

"I'm almost ready." Rania reassured her through the mirror.

"No problem." Nikki said as Rania set the brush aside with a glare. "Not being very cooperative?" she asked.

"Hardly. It doesn't want to do anything but hang in my face these days." Rania yawned, the night lingering on her mind.

Nikki made a mental note to add hair salon to the list of things to do that day.

They rode in Nikki's car to Angel Grove, where Nikki insisted that the selections were better and that she and Rania would be able to relax a bit more.

They wandered around the mall for a few minutes before Nikki steered Rania into a store. Rania raised her eyebrow at Nikki while pretending to look at a rack of clothes, "What are we doing in here?"

"You'll see." Nikki answered finding several sets of clothes that she had a hunch that Rania would appreciate, after she got done grousing about being at the mall.

Sure enough, several of the outfits were a hit, including a white pants suit set, with a red blouse, a soft eggshell white long dress, which had stunned the both of them on Rania, and lastly, but not least in Rania's mind was a stark black pants suit, with which the saleslady had recommended a white silk shirt, which Nikki bought a black one for the white suit as well.

Nikki and Rania were headed to the salon in the mall when they crossed paths with Rocky and Aisha. "Where are you two going?" Aisha asked.

"We're going to the hair salon." Nikki answered evenly, careful to not spoil Tommy's surprise.

"Right." Rocky said catching Nikki's warning look.

"We'll see you guys later." Aisha said steering Rocky away before his infamous big mouth could ruin Tommy's plan for the evening.

As they neared the salon Rania wrinkled her nose. "You want me to go in there?"

Nikki laughed, "Relax that smell is someone getting a perm. You don't have to get a perm."

Rania raised her eyebrow at Nikki again as the desk attendant looked over the counter at them. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes, she needs a trim." Nikki said pulling Rania closer to the counter.

"All right." The attendant said glancing at their book. "We've got an opening now for Tesha."

"Sounds good." Nikki said pushing Rania in front of her.

Tesha looked at Rania's hair color and made a face.

"I wouldn't say anything about her color, Tesha." Nikki said quietly, "Its how hers is naturally."

The stylist looked relieved at the warning and set about rewashing Rania's hair with the salon's preferred products. The stylist felt a little uneasy with both girls seeming to stare at her work, but trimmed the hair around Rania's face to frame it, and snipped off about two inches or so from the ends, feathering them to add more volume to the thin, super-straight hair. As she blew it dry, it fell into place, and Rania seemed much more at ease with herself and when they let her see the full effect, even she had to agree that it looked nice.

Nikki and Rania went to the food court and had a quick light lunch before heading back to Reefside. While she was driving, Nikki's cell phone rang. "Yes?" she said into the earpiece she wore when driving as she snapped the phone to her belt.

"How's it going?" Tommy's voice answered.

"On our way back." Nikki said evasively, watching as Rania seemed to be a little spacey.

"Sounds good. I'm about to be headed out the door myself."

"Give us a few minutes before you do though, we have a few surprises of our own that we want to get done." Nikki said as Rania seemed to doze a little bit.

"Sure thing. I'm sure I can find a way to kill about half an hour, I need to talk to Hayley about something anyway."

"Great, we'll see you then." Nikki said hanging up.

A few minutes later she pulled into Tommy's driveway and they got out, Rania shaking her head as she walked towards the door.

Nikki helped Rania hang the new clothes and convinced her that the black suit was the best choice for that evening. "What do you know that I don't?" Rania asked.

"If I told you that I'd get in big trouble, not that I don't want to tell you." Nikki answered as she dusted Rania's eyebrows with a shimmery light gray powder. "Now stay still."

A few minutes later Rania was in the kitchen when the door opened and the first thing was a smug Nikki, who earned a questioning look. Nikki shook her head and pointed to his rooms, "Go shower and change. You look terrible."

He shook his head as he slipped down the hall to his bathroom, where he thanked himself for the foresight to set up his clothes in there. He showered quickly and redressed in black slacks and a simple hunter green shirt. Tommy ran his comb through his short hair, for once thankful that it was short, instead of long as it had been until the last few years.

He walked down the hall, tossing his towel into the laundry room and back into the living room, unaware that Rania had also decided to head into the living room. He was almost bowled over at her appearance, _"Well I'll say Nikki's part was a success. I've never seen her look like that before."_ He thought to himself as she turned around to set her book on her shelf. "You cut your hair." He said softly touching the soft strands near her face.

Rania shrugged, "Seemed like the thing to do."

He smiled, "I like it this way, you seem…" he pondered for a moment, "younger and less intimidating."

Rania laughed, a sound not heard enough in either of her companions opinions. "Younger, perhaps, and the intimidating part probably depends on who you ask."

Tommy shook his head as Nikki headed to the door. "You two need to get going you know." She said pointedly as she opened the door.

"Oh, right." Tommy said snapping himself out of his brief reverie. He guided Rania out to his Jeep and opened her door, and closed it as he went around to his side. They rode in tense silence until he pulled into a restaurant parking lot. Tommy opened the door and the teenage hostess asked automatically barely looking up from her papers, "How many?"

"Reservation actually, under Oliver." Tommy answered evenly, reminding himself that she probably asked that same question fifty times a night.

"Oh right, there you are." She said looking over her list. "Right this way." She called as she headed to a quieter part of the busy restaurant.

Tommy and Rania accepted their menus and before Rania herself had asked for anything there was a glass of fragrant red wine in front of her and a glass of cranberry juice in front of Tommy. "I'm driving remember?" he said at her inquisitive look.

"Right," Rania answered as she leaned closer after the waiter left. "I don't know anything about this stuff."

Tommy smiled and asked, "Well then would you let me order something I think you'll like?"

Rania thought for a moment or two before nodding.

"All set?" the waiter appeared moments later.

"Yes, the lady would like London broil, medium with baked potato and vegetable soup. Myself, I'd like the same." He said taking Rania's menu from her, noticing the slight tremble in her hand. He waited until the waiter left before asking her quietly, "Are you all right?"

Rania nodded, "I'm fine, just a little nervous is all."

Tommy smiled and pulled her hand across the table, "Don't be, I don't bite you know."

Rania laughed quietly, the sound sending shivers up the spines of nearly everyone around her, Rania's innate projective empathy flaring.

A few minutes later the soups arrived and they ate in silence for a few minutes before Tommy looked over at Rania, who seemed a little uneasy. "Is something wrong?"

Rania shook her head, "not wrong, but I don't want to eat too much of any one thing."

Tommy nodded and set the soup aside as well. He was about to say something when the waiter arrived with their main courses. Tommy and Rania each sat eating their meals in comfortable silence when Rania looked at Tommy and asked point blank "What is your real surprise? Dinner isn't exactly something that most people don't do."

Tommy smiled at her decided frankness, "You'll see, but don't worry about it." He insisted as he reached across the table and caressed her hand, which still had that infuriating tremble.

Their meal was soon finished and they headed to Tommy's family cabin, where Tommy had set up the real surprise. He had set Rocky and Aisha to keeping it safe from both animal and human pests.

They saw Tommy's car first and vacated the area before Rania could see them.

Tommy led her to the blanket and helped her sit down, sitting beside her. "I used to come here when I needed time to think, or relax, or just about anything. The lake here was a source of comfort for me when things were bad, or it was an ear to listen to me sort out my problems."

"This is really what you wanted me to see isn't it?" Rania said, staring at the water.

Tommy smiled as he turned her face to his, "Yes, it was, though for me time with you is time well-spent." He answered as he leaned to kiss her lightly, tasting the fragrant wine she'd had with dinner.

This time, instead of her usual reaction, Tommy noticed a visible change in her defense, and to his surprise they lowered, and quite a lot at that. He broke the gentle kiss off slowly, almost as if he really didn't want to.

Rania smiled as she felt herself relaxing for the first time in what seemed like ages to her. "Thank you." She said very softly, almost too softly for her to hear. "This is a place I could spend a lot of time."

"No need to thank me, I wanted this for you." He answered pulling her closer, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Still, this seems like a dream." Rania answered, closing her eyes.

Tommy chuckled softly, "Then let us never awake if this is a dream."

They lingered at the park as long as they could, and reluctantly left there, gathering the soft blanket as they did.

Tommy noticed that Rania still seemed to be pretty relaxed as he drove back to Reefside, and hoped that it wasn't just the wine that had relaxed her this much.

_"No it wasn't just the wine, Tommy."_ Rania said in his mind, having inadvertently heard his thoughts. _"I just feel this relaxed right now, I'm enjoying it for as long as I can."_

"Then I will do the same." He said squeezing her hand gently before returning it to the steering wheel.

They got out of the Jeep at the house and walked inside where Tommy stopped her just inside the door, "You look really nice like this." He said softly, running his fingers through her soft hair, barely grazing her cheek as he did.

Rania smiled and looked up, her blue eyes glinting, "As do you." She said slipping away for a moment. He shrugged and pulled out his grading for the following school day. He was so engrossed in the paper he was grading that he never heard her walk back into the living room, something she rarely did during the evenings unless she knew that he didn't have grading to do. "Rania, do you have to startle me every time you return?" he asked, a grin threatening to kill his intended barb.

"As a matter of fact, yes." She laughed sitting down with her book, "Thought you could use some company, even silent company."

He looked over his glasses at her and nodded, "I'd like that." _"Even though these papers will not be the only thing on my mind!"_

Rania sat quietly with the book in her hands, contemplating the long years of her life, and realized that what she had always been seeking during her long, hard training excursions was a true friend; one like Tommy had proven to be. Finding someone like that was hard before Soleil and harder still after Soleil's betrayal.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Tommy asked, setting aside the papers he knew that he really ought to be grading.

Rania smiled as she shook her head, "I don't think I could explain it so that it would make sense to you."

He shook his head, "Try anyway; you'd be surprised at what makes sense to me sometimes."

Rania looked away for a moment, chewing her bottom lip, "I was just thinking about the long years I've spent training, and what I was really looking for."

"What was that?" Tommy asked quietly, his stomach in knots at the multitude of answers she could give.

"A friend and a loyal one at that." Rania answered bluntly.

He cocked his head at her, "And?" he prompted, trying to not seem like he was intruding on her thoughts.

Rania smiled as she traced his brow, trailing her fingers down his cheek before answering, "I think you already know that answer."

"Even so, I want to know for certain." He said, pulling her hands into his.

"I've found not just one, but several here, but I don't know what the future will bring to them, or to me."

Tommy shook his head, "None of us know what our futures will bring, Rania, and worrying about that will not make you any more at ease."

"I know." Rania sighed, leaning her head against the back of the couch.

"The weight of many worlds still rests on your shoulders, Rania; do not carry the weight of things that cannot be changed." Tommy said, pulling her close.

"It is easier said than done." Rania replied, a little sadly.

"So it is." Tommy started and found himself staring into Rania's bright blue eyes.

"You do not understand what it is like to watch your world fall to pieces, and be completely unable to do anything, despite being a Ranger, Tommy." She said, her eyes burning with tears.

"I'm not so sure I don't, Rania. I've lost every power I've ever had in some form or fashion, until now. Let yourself grieve the loss of your home, and remember what it was to you then; and work towards preventing others from suffering the same." Tommy said, watching as a lone tear slipped out of her eyes, "If tears ease the pain, Rania, let yourself cry for a few minutes."

She shook her head, fighting against the torrent in her mind. "It hurts beyond tears, even now so long after it happened." She murmured, trying to curl away from Tommy.

"Shh, if you never let yourself feel the loss of what must have been a beautiful place to call home once, nothing will ever feel as it should." Tommy soothed, rubbing her back.

For a long while Rania's silent tears were the only movement in the cabin, and remarkably Rania's tears stopped suddenly and she ran her hands over her eyes to brush the trails aside.

"Why have you stopped?" He asked her gently, moving closer to where she sat.

"Because when I get like this I remember Phaedos as it was before, not what it has become. You're right; it was once a beautiful, wild but beautiful place to live. Creatures ancient to you, were young to us, and ran free across the lands. People respected the animals then, worshipped them even, and there was always an abundance of everything. Birds sang once in the trees, and their song could lift even the heaviest of hearts, if one knew how to listen." Rania said, smiling just a little.

"Tell me more?" Tommy invited, sensing that talking about what Phaedos was before helped ease some of the despair she felt in its destruction.

"I was young, we all were, and even our world itself seemed like it was young then. Nothing it seemed could go wrong, though I am sad to say we were all wrong about that." Rania paused and allowed Tommy to lean her back against him so that he could cradle her. "What you saw was an echo of the wilderness that I loved, and once protected from outside forces that later destroyed everything."

Tommy nodded against her shoulder and closed his eyes, "You loved that planet didn't you?"

"Aye, it was my refuge, my haven." Rania replied, "It was a place that ever stood as it was when I left it, seemingly timeless and everlasting. If I'd only known what was coming to us…" she muttered unhappily.

"From the sounds of it, Soleil would have found a way to destroy what you loved most with you there or not, Rania. Do not judge yourself harshly because you did not see until it was too late for Phaedos, Earth still stands, as do many other places, including Eltare and Edenoi." Tommy said rubbing her arms gently.

"I know I shouldn't, but I do. I was the leader – the one chosen to find the solutions to the problems!" Rania said, her desperation nearly causing her to regret reclaiming her Powers. Tommy's hand covered her communicator, his own in view.

"I understand what you mean by that, it was hard watching my friends lose their Powers time and again, and eventually handing off my own Powers was hard, I didn't know what I was going to do with the rest of my life; until Dimitria sent us off to 'other exploits' being a Ranger pretty much was my life." Tommy said quietly.

Rania smiled tiredly, "I'm glad to know I'm not the only one so conflicted about everything."

Tommy smirked, "There are no guarantees in life, whether we're all Rangers or not. I'm happy that you're still here, and not off doing who-knows-what wherever you might have fled to." He admitted, thankful that she couldn't see his expression.

"I stay because I choose to, you know that." Rania said evenly, "Though fleeing has crossed my mind a few times."

"Mainly when you went off for weeks at a time by yourself." Tommy finished the thought for her.

"Weelll, yeah once or twice." Rania confessed a little sheepishly.

"What brought you back here then? Nothing is holding you here." Tommy said pulling the throw blanket down over their legs.'

"Actually there is something holding me here, my curiosity. I don't understand the effect that you have on me, and there's a part of me that insists on finding out all I can." Rania smiled, all but hearing his mind spin.

"You mean, I'm the reason you keep coming back to this house?" Tommy repeated, unprepared for such an answer.

"More or less. You fascinate me." Rania admitted, "And the fact that you aren't completely tongue-tied around me is a bit of a bonus for you."

He laughed, making her smile. "I've been around strong women the better part of my life, my mom, most of the female Rangers, so I'm kinda used to the whole idea."

The two sat in silence for a long time before Rania spied the pile of papers that needed to be graded, "You need to finish those don't you?"

"Yeah, I really ought to." He admitted glaring at the pile of paperwork that sat staring up at them from the table.

Rania reluctantly sat up and moved so that he could get to the papers, and his grade book.

Tommy heard Rania shift her weight on the couch and by the time he'd finished the last paper, she was dozing on the couch and he was loathe to move her, but he knew that she'd wake up very sore from sleeping on the couch.

"Rania, honey, you really shouldn't sleep here on the couch." He said softly, trying to not startle her.

"Hmm?" Rania muttered in her sleepy daze, her eyes slits in the slightly lit living room.

"Come on, time for you to get some rest." He said quietly, helping her stand. Tommy walked half-beside, half-behind Rania as she stumbled to her room, mostly asleep.

"Sleep well, Rania." He murmured as he closed her door quietly, as she had fallen asleep almost instantly after getting in the bed.

Tommy walked quietly to his own room and climbed into the bed, cursing that it was already pretty late, but felt some satisfaction that the night had gone as well as he'd hoped.

The next morning came and Tommy woke to the faint smell of brewing coffee. "Why would she make coffee?" he muttered to himself as he glanced at his clock and saw the time. He was about to be late in leaving for the school, and would be late if he didn't hurry.

He dressed quickly and walked into the kitchen, which Rania had clearly just vacated, the fact that everything was still hot was tell-tale of. He looked around and found that everything he would need for work was already gathered up and the papers divided neatly in his briefcase, lunch packed and coffee mug ready to go.

He poked his head into the living room and saw that she appeared to be reading a book. He walked quietly into the room and said very softly, "You didn't have to do all that in there for me."

Rania smiled and looked over her shoulder, "I know I didn't, but I wanted to, and that's the difference."

"Still, thanks." He said dropping a kiss onto her cheek.

"Don't worry about it." Rania said to his back as he darted back into the kitchen to gather up everything.

"See you this afternoon; maybe we'll do some training or something this afternoon?" Tommy asked putting one hand on the doorknob.

"Sure sounds like a winning plan." Rania said as she got up to get changed to make sure that the training area was set up the way she wanted it to be for that afternoon.

"All right then, I'm out of here then, Rania." He said as he loaded his Jeep and headed to the school.

Soon enough the sun waned and Rania ran inside to shower before Tommy returned with the other three Dino Thunder Rangers. She had barely finished drying her hair when she heard the familiar sound of the Jeep entering the driveway. She finished pulling her hair back away from her face and went outside onto the porch.

"Doctor O. says you've got a training exercise that he wants us to complete?" Kira asked as she hopped out of the Jeep.

Rania nodded, "Yeah I do. I happened to notice that none of you three are exactly experienced at fighting, and the more you practice the better you will become, but also the better your opponent will also become."

"Dude that sounds like a bad idea, letting the enemy get stronger." Conner said shaking his head as he and the other two set their school bags aside.

Tommy shook his head at the teen as Rania raised her eyebrow at him, "Actually it makes sense for each side to grow in strength at similar rates as the other, and its all part of the balance."

"It boils down to which side is better at forming working strategies." Ethan said as he stood near the older Rangers.

"Very true, Ethan," Rania nodded at the teen. "And a good philosophy."

Conner and Ethan paired up as Kira looked nervously at the other two. "Relax; you'll be working with me for now." Rania said putting her hand on Kira's shoulder.

Tommy snorted, "And you're the safer one of us?"

Rania looked over her shoulder, a secret smile playing on her lips, "Don't worry I won't hurt her," Rania smiled, "Much."

Kira paled as Tommy laughed, "Relax Kira, she's teasing, she won't hurt you deliberately."

Rania grinned over at Tommy, "YOU on the other hand I'll have no pity on."

Tommy laughed as he watched the two other teens practicing, "I'd expect no less."

Kira and Rania squared off and Rania found herself pleasantly surprised at Kira's strength and speed.

Tommy let the girls spar on their own as he noticed that Conner was being particularly brutal to Ethan and broke them apart after Conner cornered Ethan for the third time. "That's enough of that. Rania change out time." He said swinging Conner around to face Rania.

"Whoa! Wait just a second here. I can't hit a girl!" Conner protested, trying to back away from Rania.

"Then you're going to learn the hard way that you sometimes don't have a choice." Rania said as she leapt forward, pulling his arm behind his back and pinned it there for several long seconds before releasing it.

"GAhh!" Conner breathed as Rania mercifully gave him a moment to regain his composure, "She's stronger than she looks!"

"I should be." Rania said as she punched his arms and chest repeatedly until he finally began to block her attacks. "That's better." She said approvingly as he at last made some attempt to hit at her, if not aiming at her. "I'm not made of glass Conner, don't treat me like it." She pushed him backwards and he landed hard on his rear end.

Tommy shook his head, "Rania play nice, he's just a kid."

"I am playing nice. Remember what Dulcea did to you when _you_ were a kid?" Rania pointed out.

Tommy nodded, "Good point." He turned his attention to Conner, who looked rather insulted, "Give it a rest, she's been doing this since before your family existed."

Tommy looked at Rania, who wasn't angry, more annoyed with the teens, Conner in particular. He made a quick decision and said, "Why don't I drive the kids home and we'll spar later? You seem pretty wound up today."

Rania nodded, "That might be a safer way to do this right now, and I'm not sure what's going on with me."

The four Dino Thunder Rangers climbed back into the Jeep and Tommy drove them home. Rania sat on the porch and thought about nothing in particular until her mind centered on the first time she'd seen Tommy Oliver.

_"Great Power, they had all been children then. Dulcea had gone to save them from the Tengu warriors that had plagued the planet off and on since its destruction. Both of us had seen great potential in each of them, in different ways. I knew that Dulcea would have to make an example out of the one with long hair, as he seemed to be the one in charge. I myself would have done the same, but at the same time I felt some pangs of guilt for watching her dispel any hope they had left. Then I'd heard one of them mention Zordon and I thought that my heart was going to alert them to the fact that there was more than just Dulcea left on Phaedos. I hadn't planned on staying on Phaedos that long, but I was curious about this new group of children. They were not like any other teams or individuals that tried to cross the lands, they were clearly different, and I wanted to know more. I followed them as close as I dared, and had to admit even then that I was really impressed, though I shouldn't have been very surprised, Zordon was always the best at teaching how to be a good Ranger. I couldn't help but feel some sort of pride in that they had really earned their Ninja powers, and the animal spirits that had picked them were really perfect for each of them. What had surprised me was that the falcon even got involved at all. The falcon was notoriously choosy, and that he had chosen Tommy impressed me greatly. From then on I'd known that I would probably always keep an ear on the winds for news from the Falcon._

_Then the news that they'd been destroyed, decimated. That was like being kicked in the chest. My own friends, the animals demolished by evil. I couldn't believe it, and I in some ways blamed myself for it. I should have been there…"_

Tommy meanwhile was on his way back to the house in the woods and his mind wandered to his first meeting with Rania, and what a surprise it had been. He was still in high school and had literally run into her. The thing that had bothered him is that she didn't seem bothered or upset by it. Instead she was almost Ranger-like in her mannerisms, and they had found a quieter part of the Juice Bar to talk before he'd been called away. All he'd managed to learn was that she knew that he was the White Ranger and that she was a friend of Zordon's. Her appearance had fascinated him someone so petite and yet it was clear in her stance that she wasn't weak, or intimidated by anything. He had still been pondering who she was when the call came for them to go to the Command Center – and there she was again!

Tommy shook his head as he came back to the reality of his life now. He nearly missed the turn into the woods to the house and decided to stop thinking about his past, which still held many scars.

Tommy climbed out of the Jeep, and to him Rania's eyes seemed older, more careworn than when he had left just a little while ago, "Tommy, what's going on?" Rania asked as they went inside.

He shrugged, "I'm not sure, I was just thinking about stuff in general and then BAM!" he slapped his hands together; "I'm here again, but somehow not quite the same."

"It's strange being this much older than the other Rangers now isn't it?" Rania said knowingly.

"Not that you don't have any idea what that feels like." He said sarcastically, giving her a hug.

Rania grinned, "Who me? Nahh." She laughed as he shook his head. "We all get old, Tommy whether we like it or not."

Tommy nodded, noticing that the white in her hair hadn't changed back to red, "I take it the white stays?"

Rania shrugged, "Sometimes it stays for awhile, but in the end it always goes back to red, but the front here," she said pulling the sections away from the rest, "Has been white since I was a very small child. No one knew why, but I woke up one day like that."

He nodded as Rania shook her head to blend the hair back in place as she sat down, close but still at a slight distance from him, "Do you even know that you still sit a little ways at first?"

Rania looked at the distance, 'Old habits die hard." She shrugged as she reached for her glass on the coffee table.

Tommy couldn't help but realize that Rania's reactions were quite out of character in more recent weeks, but figured that it was wiser to not push too far. How wrong he was about to be.

The next few weeks passed uneventfully, and it was Summer. This would be a Summer not soon forgotten by anyone, as the Rangers new and old would discover soon.

Rania stormed through the woods, seemingly effortless in her movements, but to one who knew her well, such as Dulcea they were forced, almost methodical, whereas nothing that Rania did was ever forced. The afternoon sun was high in the sky when Rania found herself face to face with everyone, from her sisters, to Luke (who had been contacted by a panicking Destiny over the light years to Coruscant where he had been visiting his sister and her husband), to the Rangers of all types the only conspicuous absence was Tommy, who had disappeared about two weeks prior to this date. "What is the meaning of this?" Rania demanded angrily her eyes flashing.

"You haven't been yourself." Destiny said stepping away from the mass of people, into the loose circle they made to stand nearly toe-to-toe with Rania.

"So what's it to you?" Rania snapped irritably.

"We're family." Destiny replied, "And besides that, you are never like this."

Rania shrugged carelessly, her voice cold, "And since when has it mattered that you are sisters with me?"

"Since you told us." Destiny replied her voice forcedly cold, Rania's words stinging her deeper perhaps than her sisters' except for Nikki, who really considered Rania to be respected above the others, for many reasons.

Rania laughed icily, her eyes cold, dead, "I care not for your foolish desires, and considerations, Child." The last word bit at Destiny far into her core.

Destiny glared at Rania, her eyes threatening to tear up, "You are NOT yourself!"

"Yes I am. You just never wanted to see this part of me!" Rania insisted slapping Destiny hard across the face.

Destiny spun around, nearly losing her balance before turning to face Rania again, "Who are you really? Rania has never done this, not in all the time my sisters have known her!"

"I AM Rania you twit!"

A lone cloaked figure appeared in the distance and saw that it was too late, the pain had begun, "OH NO!" it breathed softly.

Rania began to violently beat Destiny, hitting and kicking her harder than she ever had. She pushed and pushed Destiny to try to evoke some sort of true reaction and got none. Eventually as her friends and family watched, Destiny fell to the ground, "Do not approach her." Dulcea commanded as Luke locked gazes with her, _"This is NOT Rania, what the hell is going on, Dulcea? Is there something ELSE you didn't tell me?"_ Luke's worried and slightly angry voice said in her head.

_"It is true I have not told all that there is to know about Rania, but I never expected this."_ Dulcea replied calmly as the cloaked figure appeared on the outside of the group and threw back her hood. "I think I've heard quite enough out of you, Maura." Rania said angrily as the throng of astonished people parted to let her pass, "Your treachery has gone far enough!"

"Rania, what –" Nikki began as Rania held her hand up for silence.

"You all have been quite successfully been deceived by the darkness that normally resides within me. Maura and I are indeed the same person, I err rather split myself in order to contend with my own darkness some weeks ago, though now Maura has decided to not follow my orders. What's worse is what she has done to Destiny." Rania's eyes burned with tears as she looked down at the seemingly broken mass by her feet. "Now then, Maura I'm not giving you any other option but to rejoin me NOW!" Rania focused her attention to the figure that so closely resembled herself, and should.

Maura shook her head as she found herself being propelled towards Rania, presumably by Luke himself, who sensed that this battle of the wills could go on for time that Destiny didn't have. Finally the two beings merged and Rania fell to her knees, gasping as the destruction Maura had planned for her beloved woods and world flashed before her eyes. After a moment Rania found herself looking into Luke's worried face, "There isn't much time, Rania." He said softly. "Save her."

Rania half-crawled to where Destiny lay crumpled on the hard ground. She took a deep breath and forced her mind to quiet before beginning the healing that had always come so easily to her. After awhile, Destiny's body was healed, but Rania's eyes snapped open with fear when she realized where Destiny's mind had retreated to. "Luke, I can't go there." She said softly, her voice full of fear.

"Yes you can." He replied, his tone serious, "Though it is not within my power to tell you why you can, and you must undo what has happened to Destiny."

Rania shook her head, "I can't."

"Yes, you can." Nikki said, kneeling beside Luke, "You must, I don't like this feeling, Rania." She said her eyes overflowing with tears, "I'm missing more than just my sister, I'm missing a part of my very soul! Please, do something, I know you can."

Rania wiped the tears from Nikki's face, unaware of the tears that dripped form her own eyes as she tried to ease her suffering, if for a moment, "Then I will try." Rania said with a quite resolve, "Goodbye." She said sitting on the ground with her hands resting gently on Destiny's temples and reached as far into the abyss as she dared, before sensing which way Destiny had fled. "Destiny, please!" Rania pleaded, as she approached, and flinched as hard as Destiny did when she saw her.

"You hurt me." Destiny's mind said to her as she looked at Rania, hurt in her voice and posture.

"I know I did, I lost control of more than just myself, Des, and I'm sorry, please go back, even if I can't." Rania pleaded, inadvertently revealing her own fear.

"I can't, my body is broken." Destiny said sadly.

"It is not. You might be really sore and have one spectacular headache but you're fine." Rania answered daring a small smile, "I can usually undo what I have done."

"Why should I?'

"Because Nikki will die and not come here." Rania answered savagely, desperate to save Destiny if she could, "She will destroy herself, and so much more with her!"

Destiny paled at the thought of always being apart from Nikki, even in death. "Which way do I go?"

"Follow your heart, as I have always told you, my little star." Rania smiled as Destiny turned to leave.

Rania was soon alone in the abyss, so deep into it that she never heard Luke calling for her, reaching as far into it as he could possibly reach.

"Luke, what did she mean by that?" Jason asked holding a writhing, distraught Hayden.

"Damn it!" Luke cursed, having picked up the words and their connotation from the Rangers as his mind rejoined where he was, "She's too far in!"

Destiny opened her eyes and saw Nikki, Adam and Jason staring at her. "That's a place I hope I never see again." She said as Jason helped her to her feet.

"Des, are you did you was she?" Nikki tried asking about three questions in one statement.

"I'm fine, yes she found me, and no she's not behind me." Destiny answered smiling at Nikki, "She sent me back, though she didn't believe that she would find her way here again." Her eyes burned with the memory of what Rania had always called her after they'd met so long ago. "Little Star" had been Rania's nickname for her because she was bright, beautiful and reminded Rania so much of herself at the same age.

Tommy appeared with David, who ironically was the reason he'd had to disappear two weeks prior. "Oh shit, what the hell happened here?"

"It's a long story." Destiny replied turning to face him as Rania fell backwards with a dead sounding "thud".

"Where is she?" David asked as he and Tommy knelt next to Rania's lifeless body.

"The abyss, where not even I can find her. She believes herself worthy only of it and is lost in its thrall." Luke answered his voice somber.

Tommy and David locked gazes for a moment and Tommy shook his head, "That'll never work."

"Are you so sure about that?" David asked calmly reading the myriad of emotions in Tommy's eyes, "It's the only chance you've got. If you don't try, you'll never know if it would have worked or not."

Tommy nodded after a split-second's worth of thought. "It's worth a shot."

The others stared as the two began a Native American chant that none of the others had ever heard either brother use before, and one that brought tears to everyone's eyes.

Eventually David's voice became inaudible as he gave up hope, as had the rest. Tommy, being as stubborn as he was wont to be, refused to relinquish hope.

He kept it up and his voice stopped as Rania's eyes slowly opened and her hand rose to wipe away the tears from his face. "You heard me." He whispered, softly.

"Well actually I heard two voices at first and one faded and since there was no other soul around I followed it." She replied as she sat up slowly.

Rania looked to her right and saw Dulcea and Luke on that side, each looked relieved and Luke recovered his voice first, "You were nearly lost to us, my daughter."

Rania smirked, "Ever have you called me that, and expected not the same in return."

Luke smiled, "So I have, though indeed, the same would have been met with the same delight as your sisters."

Rania looked into the clear blue eyes that several of her sisters bore and said very softly, "Thanks."

Luke smiled as he helped her to her unsteady feet, "You know how to reach me."

Rania laughed, "So I do. Now I wish I had before all this had happened." She turned to walk away from the people that had become an extended family to her when two separate hands caught each wrist. "Stay." Destiny said quietly as Tommy's eyes shone with more emotions than Rania had ever seen the deep depths bear.

"I mustn't. I've done too much here that I do not believe I will be forgiven for." Rania said smiling just a little at Destiny.

"Since when have you ever forgiven yourself, Rania?" Dulcea said calmly as she covered the few steps between Rania and herself.

Rania shrugged, "Since when has it mattered?"

"You have always been harder on yourself than you really need to be. No one here is particularly angry with you; most of these guys understand that it just got out of hand before you could stop it." Dulcea disagreed.

Rania knew that she was tearing everyone there apart with her desire to leave and stunned them all when she threw down her morpher, which was promptly picked up by Tommy, who examined it.

"Keep it." Rania said coldly as she removed the communicator and tossed it down as though it burned her.

"To everyone's surprise Rocky grabbed Rania by the arm and whirled her around so that they were nose to nose, her feet dangling off of the ground "Have you lost your ever-loving mind!" he demanded angrily, "Do you really think that you can waltz first into Tommy's life and upset everything on him, then do it to the rest of us and get away with it? Once a Ranger always a Ranger." He spat releasing her arm hard enough to throw her off balance.

"Tell me what you know of tigers, Rocky." Rania spat back at him, anger lacing her voice as she recovered her balance, her voice dark.

"So they're solitary for the most part," he shrugged, "Doesn't mean they can't use a support base too."

"I've lived mostly on my own for the past few millennia I don't think a few years on your little planet will make that much difference in how I think." Rania answered coldly, her voice much like it had been a few minutes ago.

"You were chosen as Prismatic Light for a reason, Rania." Rocky said walking towards her slowly, reigning in his own temper "Though I see now, as does everyone else, even within Light there is Dark, and it is up to the bearer to decide which will rule."

Rania stared at her brother, and shook her head after a moment, "What good am I really? All I do in the end is cause death and destruction."

"That's where you're wrong." Kira said as she and the other two arrived.

Rania turned her attention to the teen. "What would you know of these things? You're not old enough to know what I've had to deal with in my lifetime."

Kira shrugged, "Maybe not. But I've noticed plenty of good things that have happened here. For one, Dr. O's a lot less irritable with everyone at school, your sisters are happier, and in general things aren't ever boring around you."

Rania had to concede the point to Kira, who was being stared at by the others.

"Don't walk away this time." Tommy said as he pulled Rania to the side where he could tell her something that he sensed, but couldn't identify why, until that moment.

"Why should I not? I've hurt everyone here, most importantly I hurt Destiny to the point she could have died." Rania said, her misery slipping through the hard mask she wore to protect herself.

"Somehow I don't think Destiny really cares that it happened, she's one of the most forgiving people I've ever met." Tommy shook his head, "Now then the reason you were able to escape from that abyss, which lingers yet in your eyes, is quite simple."

"Oh really? And what might that reason be?" Rania asked bitterly.

Tommy steeled his nerves and answered slowly, "Because the person who called you back loves you beyond anything they've ever known." He finished as Rania staggered backwards with shock.

Rania recovered quickly as Luke's message flashed through her mind, '"Though it is not within my power to tell you why you can, and you must undo what has happened to Destiny."' "You–" her voice snapped for the first time in many years.

Tommy nodded, "And I think everyone standing over there knew it before I did." He said with a small smile, "Now will you stop being as hardheaded as I usually am and stay already?"

Rania laughed softly as she gave him a hug, "Only if you give me back my stuff."

He chucked in her ear, "OK but if you break my heart David'll kill you."

Rania's laughter rang out over the woods and the others stared at the pair.

Tommy rested his hands on her shoulders as she looked up at him with a small smirk on her face, "If you think I'm going to go all cheerleader on you here and gush 'thanks' fifty times you're in for a rude awakening."

Tommy shook his head, "No need to thank me, I didn't want to live in a world where you weren't."

Rania smiled as she brushed aside the remnants of the tears from his cheeks, "No more tears." She said softly, "Not if I can stop it."

He nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

The pair walked to where the rest stood, their mouths open, with the exception of Luke, who seemed to already know what had happened between them.

Nikki stood with her hands on her hips, "Well are you running away again or are you gonna stay here or what?" she demanded.

Rania looked from one to the next, her gaze settling at last on Destiny, in whose hands whether she stayed or left really lay. "I cannot undo what I have done fully, I have only erased the physical pain of it, the mental and emotional, even I do not have the power to do so, no one does." Rania said to Destiny, brushing a section of her hair out of her eyes. "For what I have done, I deserve far worse than anyone has ever received."

Destiny shook her head, "I disagree, as I said then, you weren't yourself, well ok you were but," she shook her head, "It's complicated."

Rania smiled as Destiny gave her a bone crushing hug, "Umm, Des? Can I breathe now?" she asked after a moment or two.

Destiny laughed as she took a step back, "If you leave Reefside without telling anyone, I'm gonna sic the rest of us on you, and they will find you." She grinned as Rania shook her head.

"All right all right already I'll stay, at least for a little while." Rania conceded, seeing that she wasn't going to win this fight anytime soon.

Tommy laughed along with the others, who realized that their lives had been profoundly changed by the events of one afternoon.

Evening wore on and soon the little house in Reefside was silent, save for its two companionable occupants.

Rania had opted to take a shower in her bathroom before doing anything else. Tommy sat in the living room reading what appeared to be a rather long series of multicolored spiral notebooks.   
Rania slipped back into the living room and tapped Tommy's shoulder. "What are you reading?" she asked as she sat down.

Tommy looked up and took his glasses off momentarily as he set the notebook aside. "Just looking over my journals from my high school and college years." He said, pointing at several green notebooks, "Green Ranger, good and bad, the white, duh and etc," he said, smiling a little sadly at the last, "We said bye to Billy then." He said picking up a specific red notebook.

Rania smiled sympathetically, "It was something that Billy desired then, though he's back here on earth for now."

"I know, saying good-bye is always hard for me, these guys are family, right down to the youngest Rangers."

Rania nodded as Rocky's words hit home, "Once a Ranger, always a Ranger."

"So it would seem, though this notebook is new." He smiled picking up the solitary black notebook that looked starkly different from the others.

Rania nodded, "Your newest journal, I imagine there's already a lot in there."

"Yeah, kinda, journal writing helps me sort out how I feel about stuff in general." Tommy nodded as he put his glasses back on.

"Should I leave you be?" Rania asked as he flipped to a blank page.

He shook his head, "I'd like the company, even silent company." He replied with a smirk.

Soon the only sounds heard in the small house in the woods was the sound of pen scratching on paper and the night time sounds of the wildlife.

After about fifteen minutes Tommy closed the notebook and set it aside with the others, after putting them in a neat pile on the coffee table. "Today certainly wasn't the best of days was it?"

Rania smiled grimly, "It certainly isn't one anyone will forget, but not one I'd like to have to remember either."

"You're still too hard on yourself. No one's upset about what happened, except you."

Rania nodded, "I have to be hard on myself, I'm usually on my own and I shouldn't have to worry about what I'm going to do or not going to do."

Tommy reached across the short distance between them on the sofa and grabbed her hand, "You were never alone, Rania, not really."

Rania shrugged, "Sure seemed that way to me."

"You weren't. Rangers are a family, and one hell of a messed up one at that." He paused, clearly wanting to say something more, when his cell phone rang. "Damn it." He muttered as he picked it up off of the table. "Hello." He said into it in a reasonably nice tone of voice, or so he thought.

"Well hello to you too Oscar the Grouch," Nikki's voice laughed into the phone before sobering suddenly, "I err hope I didn't interrupt anything."

Tommy laughed, "No, Nikki, but if you'd waited much longer to call, you might have."

Rania raised her eyebrow at him at the comment and decided that she really didn't want to know about the reason for that comment.

"Well, see thing is Mandy's been asking to see you again, and given the facts, one being I've run out of excuses since it is Summer now and well I think it's a good idea for Mandy to see that even as close as we are now, we're not likely to get back together…" she trailed off as she lost the way she had planned to tell him that Mandy had wanted her parents together.

"I see." Tommy answered slowly, "I agree, we should talk with her about that, it's rather important for her to understand that it's just not a likely thing."

"Same here, I thought maybe a day at the beach or something like that, where there's space and neutral ground." Nikki said, twirling her hair as she talked.

"Sounds good." Tommy said, "Maybe we'll meet in Angel Grove and head to the beach from there, that way we're not taking Mandy completely out of her 'safe zone' thing."

"All right then, AG Park sound good to you around say noon tomorrow?" Nikki suggested.

"Sounds ok to me. We'll see you then." Tommy said as he hung up the cell phone.

"Sorry about that, as you can tell it was Nikki. It seems that Mandy has been making things rather complicated for Nikki and Adam, and she and I feel that it's best if we all talk with her about it, instead of avoiding or tiptoeing around the idea that she and I are only going to be friends."

Rania smiled, "And?" she prompted.

"We're meeting them at Angel Grove Park at noon tomorrow to get it over with." Tommy said, calmly.

Rania nodded and glanced at the clock, "In that case we'd better turn in." she stood up and turned to head towards her room when Tommy caught her shoulder, "Before you go," he said softly.

Startled and more than a little curious, Rania looked up slightly and if not for the fact that he had a secure grip on her shoulder would have backed away given a chance. He leaned down slightly and kissed her hard, something he hadn't dared try, despite the desire to. He felt her shoulders tense for a brief moment before relaxing into the kiss, each sensing instinctively that the other wanted more, but also the time to indulge in it.

Almost regretfully Tommy pulled away from Rania, a look in his eyes that her body knew, even if she didn't. "Good night." He whispered softly as she smiled and turned to leave the room. Tommy stood where he was and waited until he heard her bedroom door securely shut before picking up his journals and heading to his own room.

Tommy sat up for quite awhile, a journal in his lap that he hadn't opened in roughly eight years. It held in its pages the majority of his Senior year of high school, and full of mostly happy memories, including some of his favorite times with Nikki, and of course everyone else.

Sighing softly he opened to the last section of the five subject notebook and realized that he had opened to one of the few times he and Nikki had gone off on their own.

**_Well today was interesting to say the least. Instead of spending most of the day with everyone it ended up being just Nikki and I for the majority of the day. I really like Nikki, always have, she's sweet (most of the time), fun, and mostly cheerful. In some ways she's stronger than the other girls I know, in other ways she's more vulnerable, and to see the way some of the guys at school behave, I sometimes feel like bashing heads._**

_**Speaking of bashing heads, Bulk and Skull made their usual nuisance of themselves today, always good for a laugh those two. Too bad Nikki and I ended up helping clean up the Youth Center instead of getting to go to the movies like we wanted. Either way I think she had fun, I know I did.**_

…

Tommy looked away from the familiar handwriting for a moment before flipping to the part he really knew that he should be reading again. He had felt kind of silly writing about graduation night, but it was something that wrapped itself around his mind and wouldn't let go until he did it.

_**Graduation Night**_

_**Well its official, we've all graduated. Naturally we all wanted to spend our last night of being "kids" together, or at least mostly together. In the end it was only Nikki and I and… **_

Tommy tore his gaze from the words, having had them imprinted on his mind from the time that he had written them. _"God, how could she keep something that big from me? Who did she think I was?"_

"She thought you were someone who needed to fulfill their potential, Tommy." Rania's voice said from his side, at the doorway.

His gaze snapped to where Rania stood in her regular old shorts and tee-shirt, one she'd nabbed from his closet he noticed. "I didn't say anything."

Rania smiled softly as she entered the room, "I wanted a drink of water and you were projecting." She shrugged holding up her half full glass of water.

Tommy smiled, "Must you always startle me like that?"

Rania smiled wryly, "It seems that way."

He shook his head, inwardly relieved that he'd had the good sense to at least cover up his legs in the cool evening, it offered some shielding for what stirred within him.

"We both could use some rest, don't stay up all night reflecting on the past, it'll kill ya." Rania said lightly as she turned to head to her room.

Tommy nodded silently and decided to set the journal aside, "She's right, as usual. Thinking about what could have been, doesn't change what wasn't." he muttered as he twisted the light knob on his lamp.

Tommy tossed and turned the better part of the night and finally gave up getting any restful sleep at somewhere around two am. Finally he found some rest and woke up groggy from the rough night of sleeping.

Rania cautiously peeked into the kitchen where she'd heard Tommy banging the pots and pans around moments ago. "Morning?" she called cautiously, preparing to dodge flying implements.

Tommy nearly dropped the heavy frying pan on his foot as he stood up, "Oh, it's only you. Morning, I guess."

"Bad night?" Rania queried carefully standing between Tommy and the knives.

Tommy raised his eyebrow at her choice of places to stand. "Kinda yeah. But I'd recommend a light breakfast before we go. Nikki and I can lose track of time and miss lunch when we're together sometimes."

Rania nodded as she helped him fix a fast meal of French toast and sausages. They sat at the table in a charged silence, each wanting to bring up the night before, and yet neither knew the so-called right way.

All too soon it was time to head to Angel Grove. They climbed into the Jeep and Tommy noticed that in the interim Rania had managed to get a few sets of shorts and a tank top that fit her reasonably well.

They drove in silence until Tommy flipped the radio knob on the stereo and the wretched thing happened to be playing Evanescence's "Bring me to Life." His hand lingered on the knob as the lines 'Wake me up inside/Call my name and save me from the dark/…" played over the speakers and they both froze momentarily.

Tommy stole a look at Rania's face and put his hand back on the steering wheel as he continued down the road that led to Angel Grove.

The radio DJ of the mid-morning must have been channeling Tommy's emotions that day as he or she put on Nickelback's "How you Remind me" as Tommy pulled into the parking spot near the Youth Center.

They had to wait a few minutes before Nikki and Adam pulled into the spot next to them.

"Hey, you guys made it." Nikki said brightly pulling off her sunglasses and setting them in her hair.

Tommy shrugged as he cut the engine in the middle of the song. "I said I'd be here." He unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out of the Jeep at almost the same time Rania did and they climbed into the back of the van. Mandy was sitting in the middle seat so Rania opted for the far back seat, leaving Tommy with the choice of the back or sitting next to Mandy, which he chose to do.

Nikki drove the van in an uncomfortable silence, which Mandy blissfully broke with her natural curiosity, "Mom how long till we get to the beach? I want to see the water."

Nikki looked at her daughter through the rearview mirror, "We have about a ten minute or so drive yet, Mandy. Be patient." She admonished lovingly, smiling at the little girl.

Roughly ten minutes later Nikki was pulling into one of the parking spots in a nearby lot. Everyone climbed out of the van slowly, each gathering some of the day's supplies.

They walked to a semi-quiet area of the large beachfront to sit on a blanket to watch the waves. After awhile Rania noticed that Mandy was watching everyone, kind of studying the adults and she looked into her eyes, "Is something wrong, Mandy?"

"No." Mandy lied quietly as she got up to walk along the shoreline by herself.

"Nikki, leave her be." Rania said quietly putting her arm in Nikki's way, "She is trying to sort everything out for herself."

Mandy looked quite forlorn for a kid at one of her favorite places in the world. To their horror Mandy suddenly screamed the bloodcurdling pain-filled scream that turns blood to ice. Almost in unison the four were on their feet trying to find out what was wrong, as they didn't see what it was until they arrived.

Rania arrived mere seconds before Tommy and Adam and saw instantly that he had been stung by a beached jellyfish. "Shh, baby,' she soothed her before gritting her teeth to pull the tentacle off of the girl's leg. She locked gazes with Nikki, "Has Mandy reacted to any other stings or bites before?"

She shook her head, "No, she hasn't."

"She is now. We have got to get to the hospital pronto." Rania said pointing at the angry red lesions popping up on the little girl's skin.

Tommy gently picked the child up and hurried to the van as fast as he could.

Adam and Rania flung open the van doors so that all anyone would have to do is jump in. Rania slammed the van slider door shut as she hopped in after Tommy and Mandy.

"Mandy, stay awake hon, you've got to look at me. Tell me a story." Rania said trying to keep the girl's attention on her face.

"Too tired, want to sleep." Mandy muttered her muscles lax and began to shake.

"We don't have a lot of time here; she's starting to go into shock." Rania said, panic rising slightly in her voice.

They arrived at AG hospital and Tommy carried Mandy into the ER where the girl was whisked away where only one person could go, which Nikki naturally did.

Tommy, Adam and Rania sat anxiously in the waiting area when Nikki came back, looking quite tired.

"She'll be released shortly, "We'll have to get a prescription filled before we go home, but she'll be fine." She said as the other three breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"That's good news." Adam said standing up to give Nikki a hug, which she looked like she could use.

"I've got to go help her get dressed again; we'll be out in a few minutes." She said hugging him back.

About an hour later Tommy, Rania and Adam sat with most of the other Rangers that had been found while Nikki was in Mandy's room, trying to get her to rest.

Nikki sat on a chair next to Mandy's twin bed. "Mom I didn't mean to get stung, I was just curious about what it was." Mandy said unhappily.

"It's all right, Mandy, nobody's mad at you. We're all just happy you're all right."

Mandy looked at her mother, her fatigue from the sting and the hospital trip showing, "Dad really likes her, what did you say her name was?"

"Rania? Yeah, he really does sweetie." Nikki nodded, knowing exactly what was coming.

"I like her, but I want you and Dad together again, like before…"

Nikki smiled a little, her face tinged with some sadness, "Mandy, there are a lot of circumstances that are involved in that situation, and there are also a lot of very bad and very sad feelings between me and Tommy. We both love you very much, but I just don't see that happening." Nikki said brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Did I do something bad?" Mandy asked her eyes brimming with tears.

"No, Mandy, you had nothing to do with what happened between your mom and I." Tommy said from the doorway, "Things happen, and sometimes that is just the way things go."

Mandy nodded at Tommy before turning his attention back to Nikki, "Are you happy being with Adam, Mom?"

"Yes, I am, and what's important to me is that he cares about you as much as your dad and I do, which counts for a lot for me." Nikki nodded as Tommy sat on the edge of the bed near Nikki.

"Is there anything you'd like to know from me, kiddo?" Tommy asked Mandy quietly.

Mandy smiled bitterly at him, "I've always wondered why you were never here."

Tommy glanced at Nikki, the hurt still clear in his dark eyes, the same eyes Mandy had he saw, "Honestly, I never knew until a few months ago, Mandy."

"Mandy, your dad didn't have a say in not seeing you get to this age that was something I did. I was a scared kid, and I messed up in not telling him about you, but I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?" the little girl asked looking from Nikki to Tommy.

"Of being rejected, as a friend." Nikki answered truthfully, "Your dad has been one of my best friends for a long time, and one night I thought had changed it. I was wrong to keep you from him, but I can't undo it."

Tommy looked at Mandy and said, "I never imagined I'd have a child that I didn't know about, but I will tell you this much, I'm proud of the person you are now, and I look forward to seeing the person you become as you grow."

Mandy looked at Tommy, and both of them knew that she understood on some level, and that this would be the little girl's last question for awhile, "Do you love Mom?"

Tommy smiled fondly, "I do, and I always will, she is part of my family, Mandy, as are you. But she and I have agreed to move forward with our lives, separately."

Mandy nodded, seeming content to know that her parents did not hate each other as she had always secretly thought and seemed to drift to sleep.

After a few minutes Tommy tapped a nearly dozing Nikki's hand and motioned to the door, "Let her rest, Nikki, there's nothing better than that for her right now."

Nikki nodded as they quietly slipped out the door, shutting it quietly.

Tommy caught her shoulder as she turned to walk down the hall, "I meant it you know, but…"

Nikki smiled at him, "I know where your heart lies, and I knew it when I saw you together the night I brought Mandy out there to see you again."

He pulled her close in a tight hug as tears exploded from her eyes. "Don't cry Nikki, you know I can't stand that." He whispered into her hair, "She's fine, we all are." He said rubbing her back gently.

Nikki looked up and saw that Tommy was as upset as she was, but was keeping himself under control so that there would be a stable force in the house. "God if Rania hadn't been there to know what to do, I panicked, I never panic like that."

"All mothers do I'm told." Rania said pushing Nikki's hair out of her eyes, "And I'm glad I could help."

"Rania, the doctor told me if we'd gotten there five minutes later we'd be – "her voice broke as fresh tears flowed harder.

"We're not and that's what's important." Rania said calmly, "We all still have Mandy here with us, and that's what really counts."

Nikki nodded as they walked down the hall to the living room.

Adam got up and crossed the room in about three strides, "Are you all right?" he asked pulling her close.

"Yeah, I think so." Nikki nodded, "At least for now."

"Will Mandy be all right?" Destiny asked as she came in from the kitchen with a fresh drink.

"In a few days she should be back up and around." Nikki nodded as Tommy and Rania sat down for a few more minutes. "You guys don't have to stay you know." She said trying to give them a way out that wouldn't seem rude.

Rania shook her head, "I think we should be here, at least for tonight, she's going to have a bad night."

Sure enough Mandy had several nightmares, one of which took all of them to calm her down from. Finally morning came and Tommy looked at Rania, who looked the worst of them, having stayed up the majority of the night so that the others could rest. "You look horrible." He said gently as Rania ran her fingers through her hair, and as she did, it stood almost on end.

Rania smiled, "I'll be all right after a catnap."

"I don't think so sweetie, you've got bags the size of Texas under your eyes." Destiny said dodging the loving swat from Rania, "Go on you two, go home and sleep, we'll call you if we need something."

Reluctantly Tommy and Rania left, after saying bye to a resting Mandy, who was reading a book. They got into the Jeep, which Jason had graciously picked up from the park for them the night before. Tommy drove in silence as Rania seemed to be lost in thought, "Something bothering you?" he asked as Rania seemed to be pulling inward.

"No, not really, I'm just trying to figure out if I really am that comfortable with your daughter, it's not exactly something I was prepared for."

Tommy smiled as he turned the Jeep around one of the last corners to the house. "It was something of a shock to me as well, but now I wouldn't change it if I could."

Rania smiled as the Jeep came to a stop at the end of the driveway. "I think I understand what you mean."

They walked to the door and Rania smiled as she said, "I'm gonna go wash my funky self and hit the sack for a few hours, wake me around say suppertime if I'm not up, I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure thing." He said as he went to his computer to check his email and work on getting ahead of his lesson plans to ease the burden of making them up as he went along.

A few hours later Tommy realized that it was nearly suppertime and walked down the hall to Rania's room and knocked softly on the door and opened it when there was no answer. "Rania, hon it's time to get up." He said quietly, trying to not startle her.

After a few moments he saw her familiar blue eyes open and hold his gaze. "You remembered."

"How could I forget?" he countered as she grabbed a tee-shirt to go over the cami she wore.

Tommy and Rania made a quick dinner of steaks and mushrooms and baked potatoes and Tommy prompted Rania to ask her question as they ate, "What is it you've wanted to ask me?"

Rania nearly choked on her food as she breathed in sharply, she shook her head and grabbed her drink to clear her throat again. "Well, I've been thinking about the kiss from the other night and... " She flushed slightly, though it looked brighter due to her fair skin.

He smiled as he grasped her hand gently setting her fork aside, "You want to know what I wanted then?"

She nodded, trying to hold his gaze. "Yes."

He smiled as he pulled her chair closer to his, "I have to remind myself sometimes that you've never been this close to someone before, and that for me, says a lot. I guess the best way to say it is that erm," he paused with a smile, "As Nikki would tell me to do, I'm just going to put it out on the table, I want you."

Rania made a face, not a bad one he surmised, but one of almost confusion. "I'm not sure I understand."

He shook his head as he turned her chair to face his, "Perhaps it would be easier to explain if I did this." He said lifting her out of the chair and onto his lap, where it was easier for him to kiss her hard again, this time he let his hands wander a bit, and ran them from her shoulder blades to the top of her shorts waistline and brought them around to almost touch her breast, stopping just short of it.

He broke the kiss off slowly, and looked into her eyes, "I hope that clarified it some."

She smiled slowly, digesting the new sensations, "You just put into action how I've felt for awhile, even if I didn't know what it was."

He nodded against her shoulder, "I thought I might have, it's not an easy thing to discuss."

Rania rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes, "I think I like that sensation, its like fire and water in one."

He chuckled, "I've heard that put a lot of ways, but that's not one." Tommy let her relax for a few moments more, his own heart racing in a way that it hadn't since before he and Kat had broken up. His relationship with Nikki had been a different kind of situation, and one he did look back on fondly, for the most part. He carefully scooted his heavier chair back a few more inches and carried her into his bedroom, where he guessed they'd be more comfortable, given that he had a queen sized bed, whereas she had a small super single bed in hers.

Tommy set Rania gently on the bed, earning him another strange look, this one tinged with her innate curiosity. "I think this room will be a bit more comfortable than that limiting kitchen chair." He said softly, tracing her cheekbone as he sat on the bed next to her. He read the nervousness in her eyes and reassured her, "Anything that happens tonight, or any other night happens because we both want it to, not because one of us doesn't." he finished, trailing his hand from her neck down to her breast gently, feeling the soft material beneath the cotton tee-shirt.

Rania sucked in a deep breath, understanding now more than she had about what others had told her that desire could do to someone, and found with Tommy, it wasn't forced, as she had tried to feel this way with others, but it just didn't feel right. He nodded silently as she timidly reached to touch his leg, "If that's what you want right at that moment, do it." He said into her ear softly, leaning close enough to kiss the sensitive spot just below her ear lightly.

Rania shuddered slightly at the kiss and almost wanted him to stop, but something in her wanted more, a part of herself that Rania had never known existed, craved the sensations as an alcoholic craved a beer.

"Let yourself feel these sensations, if something doesn't feel like this," he kissed the same spot again, and continued, "tell me and we'll try something different."

Rania nodded as it seemed to her the cool evening had gotten warmer.

Tommy rested his hand on Rania's upper thigh as he caught her gaze again, "I love you, Rania, I have for a while, even if I was too bull-headed to realize that's what it was." He admitted, pulling his final 'secret' out of his sleeve.

"Love is an emotion I hadn't had a use for until this past fall, and one now I don't think I could live without," Rania paused, smiling at the thought, "I could stay here in Reefside and actually be happy."

Tommy's heart leapt into his throat, "You mean, you'd stop traveling the universes and stay here, with me?"

Rania smiled as she caressed his cheek, feeling the day-old stubble on it, "I do, I've finally found what it was my heart sought without bothering to tell the rest of me."

He laughed softly as he caressed her leg, occasionally slipping his fingertips up underneath the hem.

Rania squirmed slightly, but didn't pull away from him, instead seemed to move a miniscule amount closer. Tommy breathed in the soft scent that had haunted his sense of smell for the previous few months when it dawned on him what the precise smell was, "You smell like lavender." He said into her hair, which also smelled faintly of the flower.

Rania chuckled throatily, "I've loved the plant's smell for a long time, it's soft and in a lot of ways very sensual, though that never occurred to me."

He kissed the top of Rania's hair and said mischievously, "I've had dreams about the lavender plant thanks to you."

Rania swatted at him playfully, deliberately missing so that he'd catch her arm again.

He did, and he caught her look of delight, "Oh, so you are enjoying this? Shall I raise the stakes a bit with this?" he asked, tugging on the loose tee.

Rania thought for a moment and nodded, allowing him to remove the somewhat baggy shirt, leaving her in what she generally wore to sleep. He drank in the sight as one who hadn't had water in a hundred miles and traced the low collar of the cami slowly, allowing his fingertips to drag over the soft flesh above it.

Rania's hands clenched and unclenched rhythmically, her breathing shallow and fast.

"Shh, nothing too fast," Tommy whispered as he cupped one breast lightly, feeling the slight weight in it.

Rania's breath seemed almost ragged to him and he said very softly, "Anytime you wish you can end this, no hard feelings will come from me."

Rania shook her head, "I want to see this through, Tommy." She answered slipping her hands under his lightweight tee-shirt. "Fair's fair." She said almost too casually, pulling it over his head and casting it randomly aside.

His mind raced at the new bit of aggressiveness in this area, where she had always been a bit skittish before. He looked at the determined light in her face and saw that despite her nerves and inexperience, which his mind marveled at, she seemed to be following his lead quite easily.

Tommy reached over to grasp her hands loosely in one hand and pulled her close again, and kept her hands still with his hand and gently caught the back of her neck as he kissed her harder even than he had in the kitchen, sending her mind whirling out of control.

The two of them opened their eyes in unison and saw emotions in them that mirrored each others, and Tommy found with each passing moment he feared her fleeing the room less and less. He decided to raise the bar a bit more to see her reaction and slipped his shorts off and set them aside, trying to keep his face neutral as her gaze flicked over his lower half.

She looked away for a moment and fixed her eyes on his, "I don't quite know what I should do here." She said softly after a moment.

Tommy raised her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly before saying, "Follow your heart, it knows the way, trust yourself, and me." He said sliding his hands up under the thin cami slowly, eliciting a soft gasp from Rania. He started to move his hands backward when hers stopped him, she shook her head subtly, "I'm just a little jumpy about being touched sometimes." She said softly, almost too softly for him to hear.

Tommy nodded as he eased his fingers out of the thin fabric and rested the palm of his left hand against her breast, and felt her heart racing beneath it. He waited several long heartbeats of his own before even daring to move again. When he did, he kept his eyes on her face as he raised the thin camisole over her head, and set it aside. Rania shifted her weight anxiously, trying to avoid his eyes, for fear of what she'd find.

At this crucial moment, his cell phone rang shrilly from it's charger in the kitchen, "I'm busy." He murmured into her shoulder, kissing it as he raised his head.

In the same instant Tommy eased Rania into a reclining position against the pillows, caressing her heated skin as he did. By this point his self-control was slipping away, and he fought within himself to not push too far, or to push for too much at once. Rania looked up at him, and the expression in her eyes, combined with the agelessness of her face, told him that somehow he knew she was aware of everything he was feeling, coupled and amplified by her own feelings.

Tommy knelt between her legs; regret deep in his heart, for what he knew would come first for Rania, at least. _"I believe this is right, else we would have stopped by now."_ He thought to himself as he watched her close her eyes slowly, to protect them both. He eased his penis into her as gently as he could, until he felt the resistance he knew to expect. "Rania," he paused, his voice thick with emotion, "I'm sorry."

Rania's eyes flew open at his words, confused for the split second that passed before the sharp, nearly blinding pain tore through her core. "Ahh!" she exhaled loudly, her voice higher than usual. She forced her eyes closed, aware that a lone tear had escaped before she could entrap them behind closed lids.

Tommy felt his heart tear in half at the sound; he paused long enough to raise his upper body enough to look at her face and wiped away the lone tear that had rebelled. "That was the hard part, and it's something I'll never forget." He said into her ear as he kissed the spot just below her earlobe again. Tommy felt Rania's soft shudder as he lifted his lips away from her neck and began thrusting slowly, gently in and out of her, taking care to find each of her hands to entwine their fingers tightly. After a few minutes the pace was nearly frantic, the pain forgotten for the time being. Tommy felt his control skidding away from his grasp and slowed down, smiling down at her as he heard her soft growl of protest. "Sorry, love, forgot about breathing." He gaspedas his lungs burned with the need for more oxygen.

Not long after he began thrusting harder and nearly as fast as before, he knew that the control they each wielded over themselves was gone, and he felt Rania's orgasm crash through her with the force of a tidal wave. "Oh, my..." Rania gasped her voice husky. Seconds later Tommy felt his own release and eased himself over her again, careful to not squish her beneath him. Shivering, but not cold, Rania's hands roamed over his back slowly as they caught their breath. A minute or so later, Tommy eased his penis out of her, half-flopping next to Rania on the pillows.

Tommy raised himself up onto one elbow and gazed at her relaxed form. His eyes stung when he saw the few, but small reddish brown stains on the light tan comforter. Rania stretched lazily, curling against him as she did. Her eyes opened slowly, resembling more a tiger's than a human's in that moment. The contented look in them reminded him that while uncomfortable at first, it hadn't been entirely bad for her.

"Thank you." He whispered into her ear as he pulled the spare blanket over them and there they lay asleep for several hours.

Some hours later, Tommy woke up alone in the bed, and he heard no sounds from the other rooms, and knew instinctively that Rania was gone, particularly after spotting that she had moved his glasses into the room along with a note set neatly beneath them.

Grimacing he grabbed both, as he did; her now-familiar scent of faint lavender mingled with the distinct smell of intimacy invaded his senses. He set the glasses on his nose and read the letter, as a knot formed in his stomach.

"Tommy,"

He read in her familiar script, slightly slanted due to her handedness,

"I'm fine, really, don't worry. I just have to take care of a few things before we see each other again. It's kind of a custom from my culture. If I'm not back before mid-afternoon, if you wish you may come find me, look with your heart, Tommy and you shall find me.

Love, Rania."

He smiled at the last words of the letter and glanced at his watch. It was nearing four-thirty and she obviously wasn't back yet. Tommy flung his legs over the side of his bed and grabbed fresh clothes, this time pairing a black and white flannel with a green t-shirt with khaki pants.

Tommy went into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher in the fridge as he checked his messages on the cell phone.

He discovered that he had missed a call from Nikki and one from Destiny. Destiny was just checking in and leaving a message for Rania that Dulcea had a book that she would need to read again. He made a note to pick up the book next time they were at the Scotts'. Nikki however wanted him to call her back. Which he did as he opened the door and began to look for Rania.

"Hello?" Nikki answered her phone cheerfully.

"Hey, sorry about last night, I was rather busy." Tommy said evenly.

"Right. Busy how?" she asked shutting her bedroom door.

Tommy laughed, "Well, let's say that Rania and I are closer than ever."

"I see, and what does she think about that? You, I can tell already like this new development." Nikki said twirling her hair with her free hand.

"I don't know yet. She was gone when I got up earlier and she's been gone the better part of today." Tommy answered Nikki as he wandered deeper into the woods, not really heading in any one direction.

"Well, in that case, my friend you ought to be talking to her and not me." Nikki said, "She's probably a bit confused, and though this might sound strange, she might be a bit nervous about being around you again."

Tommy shifted the phone around on his ear as he thought for a moment. "You're probably right about that, I have to remind myself that she's from a different world, more than just a little bit literally."

"Exactly, plus, Rania's talents do make it hard for her to get close to people, always knowing how other people really feel takes a toll on a person after awhile."

Rania was sitting on a large boulder near the river in the middle of the woods, just watching the current and the life in the waters. She'd lost track of time, and she knew that she ought to head back, and should have already returned home – the little house in Reefside had become her second real home. Tommy stopped about fifty yards away and watched her for a moment as he and Nikki fell into silence. "Nikki. I'll call you later OK?"

"Sure." She answered distantly, as she hung up the phone.

Tommy put the phone in a pocket and slowly walked towards Rania. He stepped on a fallen twig and it snapped loudly in the still woods, Rania jumped at the sound and glanced over her shoulder. "Rania, I-" he stopped as he came close enough to really see her eyes, and her face clearly. The confusion, the fear, the trust and the love in her eyes stopped the words dead on his tongue. "Oh, God, honey if I'd known that intimacy would do this to you I'd never have allowed it to happen." He said kneeling on the boulder, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"It's not your fault, Tommy." Rania's voice sounded hoarse to his ears, "I could have stopped it as well."

"Look at me a moment, Rania." He said softly, shifting her around so she could, "I don't know if I can say that if I could undo it I would. I don't think I would." He said caressing her face gently.

"Neither would I." Rania admitted quietly, her mind spinning. "I'm just not used to having this many emotions out of control at once. It's not exactly something that happens to a person who's been trained as a Jedi."

He locked his eyes on hers, "If you wish, I'll help you with them, but you have to trust me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Rania nodded, her mind slowing down, while her heart raced. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax in his embrace, her emotions falling back into their places, one by one, except for her feelings for and about Tommy, which insisted on spiraling around her heart and mind. "I do trust you, I feel like I'm in the middle of a labyrinth."

He chuckled softly as he put his arms around her shoulders, shocked at how cool her exposed skin was. "Here, put this on, you're freezing cold." He said shrugging off the flannel shirt.

As she did a bitter sounding laugh tore past her closed lips. She leaned against Tommy again as the laughter bubbled out of her core. When it faded, he waited for her to explain what had caused her to laugh that way. "I've defeated who knows how many monsters and one truly intimate experience does _this_ to me?" her voice broke as her fragile hold over her emotions shattered.

"Easy, baby," Tommy whispered into her ear, "It's ok to feel this way. It takes a little time to sort out how everything fits together with someone after that."

After a few minutes Rania's tears stopped and she squirmed just enough to look at his face again, "Thanks." She said simply leaning forward to lightly kiss his lips.

He tipped her chin as she leaned back away from him, 'No need to thank me for anything that happens between us. It's part of loving someone to be there when they need a hand, or a shoulder to lean on." He smiled as she shook her head at him.

Rania smiled as she rested her head against his chest, her hair just tickling his nose. "I think it's now a bit silly for me to keep sleeping in that back bedroom isn't it?" she said suddenly.

He chuckled as his phone rang again, "Hello?"

"Tommy?" Nikki's voice came over the phone.

"Hey! What's up? I was going to call you back in an hour or so actually." He said putting his arm protectively around Rania.

"Just checking on you guys is all. How is she doing?"

"Better, I think." He paused as he nudged her shoulder gently with his elbow, "Here, I'll let you talk to her yourself." He said handing Rania the phone. "It's Nikki, hon."

"Hey Nikki." Rania said sounding rather tired.

"Hey yourself Sis." Nikki greeted cheerfully. "I hear you two had an interesting night."

"That's a way of putting it." Rania said evasively.

Nikki laughed, "Well what do you think about it?"

Rania chewed her lip as Tommy played with the ends of her hair, "Well, I'm kinda twisted around inside, if that makes any sense at all."

"No, that makes perfect sense to me. Just remember, you're not alone in that, and you can always ask questions to one of us girls."

"Thanks, I'll remember that. But, I think I need to spend a little more time with Tommy before the next Big Baddie decides to overpower the kids." Rania smiled as he snorted gracelessly behind her.

"Sure, Rania, we'll talk to you later."

Rania hung up the phone as her stomach growled loudly in the quiet air.

"Sounds like you could use a little food yourself there, love." Tommy laughed pulling Rania to her feet.

"Yeah it does." She grinned as his stomach gurgled in response to the prompting of food. "You were saying?"

They walked hand-in-hand back to the house and Tommy quickly gathered the supplies to make hot ham sandwiches. The pan hissed as the butter on the bread melted and browned, melting the cheese inside as well as heating the ham. A few minutes later they sat at the kitchen table eating the sandwiches with Gatorade in silence. It seemed to Rania the only words were indicated through the touching that they both did whether it was on the hand, the back, or elsewhere.

Tommy ducked into his room, as she went to get new clothes from hers. He heard her walk down the hallway and stop at the doorway to the bedroom. He saw that she was hesitating about coming into the room again.

"Rania?" Tommy asked quietly, walking to where she stood.

Rania forced herself to smile, "I'm all right really, just kind of taking a moment to remember things." She walked into the room slowly, and set her clothes on the dresser as she walked into the bathroom.

He walked towards the bathroom again, and noticed that while she wore her customary whites, there were usually touches of black, purple, or red, or green in the outfits. Tommy flipped the dials around to start the water in the shower stall and set the water temperature. He stripped his clothes off and stepped under the warm spray. He felt the brief blast of cool air enter the stall as she slipped in. Tommy turned in time to watch the water soak through her hair, deepening the red in her hair, and well as the white that fascinated him so much at times. He stopped her hand as she reached for the shampoo bottle, "Let me." He requested, picking up the bottle. She nodded and allowed him to massage the softly scented soap into her hair and scalp. He guided her under the showerhead and rinsed it out, careful to direct the water away from her eyes.

The teasing smirk on her face betrayed her thoughts as her smile grew, "I bet you do this with all your lovers."

"Only the ones that let me." He smiled down at her, feeling the familiar stirring in his blood.

They washed themselves off and were in the process of drying off when Tommy's communicator beeped loudly, startling them both. "Dr. O. we could really use your help about now." Kira's panicky voice came over the device.

"Go, they need you." Rania said, handing him his clothes as she dried her hair with the towel.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Be careful." He said into the device. He looked at her over one shoulder as she flipped her head up, her hair almost on end and couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips.

Rania grinned at him as she tamed it with her fingers so that it lay mostly flat again.

"Oh, by the way, Dulcea has something for you at the Scotts'. It is important according to Destiny."

"OK. I'll see about getting a way over there and getting it."

Tommy ran out the door as Rania was on the phone with Willow, who was more than happy to give her a ride over to Angel Grove to get her package.

"Ahh!" Kira screamed as she flew gracelessly through the air and landed on the hard pavement of the parking lot where the fight was going on.

"I sure hope he gets here soon, we could really use another set of hands." Ethan said as he dodged several blows from the triptiods.

Tommy ran towards the trio at a dead run and skidded to a stop as three triptiods came towards him, "You guys OK?" he asked as he managed to knock two of them off their feet with a hard one-two punch to their chests.

"Yeah, now." Conner answered as the monster that had set the triptoids against them charged at them. Just as it seemed that they would defeat the creature without using their zords, the creature grew to be about ten stories high.

"Zord time!" Conner said as he and the other two floated up to man their zords.

Tommy stayed on the ground, out of the way to monitor the situation and offer aid as he could.

A few minutes later the monster was defeated and they were taking a few minutes to celebrate at Hayley's Cyberspace. They finished their drinks just as Hayley was getting ready to close for the night.

Willow and Rania climbed out of Willow's plain-looking white car and walked to the door. Rania turned and noticed that Willow hesitated at the edge of the driveway, "Oh, come on, Nikki's not the type to hold a grudge for that bloody long." Rania said irritated.

Willow nodded, "I know that, it's just kinda awkward being around her sometimes."

Rania smiled as Willow stopped next to her on the stoop. The door opened and Nikki greeted them cheerfully, "Hey, you guys came over, what's up?"

"I got a ride from Willow as a favor to get this book from Dulcea." Rania said her face paling as she saw which book Dulcea held in her hands.

"I thought that book was lost." Rania said taking it from Dulcea.

"It was, technically lost." Luke said as he walked around the corner from the kitchen.

"I see." Rania said as she flipped through the book with familiarity until she came to a page and dropped the book in a mixture of horror and realization.

"Rania, are you all right?" Nikki asked as Rania scooped the book off of the floor.

"I – I'm fine." Rania lied, her eyes revealing that she wasn't really.

"You don't look fine." Nikki insisted trying to look at the pages.

"Nikki, trust me on this. You don't want to know." Rania said darkly as she put the book roughly into her pack. "Anyone who goes into that bag will be in deep trouble with me." She said as she walked out of the door to get some air. _"Please, not now," _Rania thought as her eyes burned, _"I've only just begun to understand so much, including myself."_

After awhile she went back into the house and tried to give the impression that she was fine. Rania apparently did a good enough job to stymie any further questioning as no one brought up the book again, or her reaction to it.

A few weeks later they were again celebrating a victory with Hayley and Trent, who always seemed a bit anxious around Tommy. Tommy kept getting the distinct feeling that something was wrong, and that he really should head home soon. They were nearly done with their drinks when Destiny walked in, looking for them. She walked over to them as Hayley spotted her and approached the small crowd on the couches.

"Destiny Scott, can I get you anything while you're here?" she asked.

"No thanks Hayley. I'm here to collect these four for a family meeting." She smiled sweetly at the redhead as she put the emphasis on 'family'.

Tommy caught her meaning and said, "All right, time to go guys. We'll see you later, Hayley."

Hayley and Trent watched as they left. "Family? They're not related are they?" Trent asked her.

"Not exactly, Trent, but they're like a family anyway." Hayley hedged dodging the question for the time being.

Destiny drove her car to Tommy's house in Reefside, and the other four followed in Tommy's Jeep.

Tommy hopped out of the Jeep and saw that there was about two or three dozen cars and vans and the like around his house. "What? Did every known Ranger show up or what?"

"Pretty close." Destiny answered as she opened the door carefully in case there were people on the other side.

"Good, everyone's here." Rania said looking up from the book she'd been reading. Tommy noticed that she was sitting in the middle of the dining room table, something she never did, but saw why. "Everyone find some sort of a seat, and be quiet." Rania ordered and waited several minutes before continuing. "For those of you who have never met me, my name is Rania, High Guardian of the Light, Wielder of the Prismatic Light Power. But that is not why I have summoned you all to this little house in Reefside, California." She looked around the room and looked into her six siblings' eyes. "We were foretold long before even I was born. This book tells of that Prophesy." She said gazing at the pages she had opened the book to. This Prophesy is named 'The Beginning and Ending of the Power'. It reads:

Whence Seven Come,

All kin,

Twice together,

And Three stand alone.

With them walk Seven more,

Loved are they, trusted allies,

Tried and true,

The friendships forged in battles,

Is enough

Love alone is not enough,

Friendship, loyalty and sacrifice also must pass.

Despair and hope become one as

Darkness will surrender to Light,

Light shall succumb to Darkness

One Shall rise above the others,

And ascend to heights unseen.

Rania paused as the silence in her ears grew deafening. "There are seven siblings, of whom Destiny and Nikki are virtually alike, and whilst being twins, Kris and Willow are not very alike at all. Rocky, Autumn and I have always stood alone."

"Does the book say who rises above us all?" Aisha asked, her voice shaking.

Rania shook her head, "No, Aisha it does not tell that. All it says is that fourteen may go, but it is possible that only one will return of the fourteen."

"What of the Powers that were lost?" Cole from Wild Force asked.

"That which was lost, will be returned, except those who have perished." Rania answered the memory of Zordon as she knew him burning her mind. "My last words to you my siblings, choose one, and choose well."

"Who will you chose?" Conner asked Rania curiously.

"That is for me to decide." Rania answered evasively as she climbed down from the table and set the book down on the table. She paced around as the other six sat in stunned silence. "Time's wasting." She snapped about fifteen minutes into the deadly silence.

"We have decided our companions, Rania. Have you chosen yours?" Nikki said finally.

"I have. If your name is called, stand by the one who summoned you." Rania said, clearing the area by the door for those who would be leaving to stand.

Autumn looked at Nikki, who nodded, "Justin Stewart." Justin stood up and walked to where she stood, and waited next to her anxiously.

Destiny went next, "My choice was easier than everyone else's I'm sure. Jason Scott." Jason rose to stand at Destiny's side.

Nikki looked at each of the many remaining members of the Ranger family and said finally, "My first choice would have been Rocky, as he goes anyway, the most logical and important choice I will make is Adam Park." Adam nodded once and walked to where Nikki was.

Willow looked from her sisters and said softly, "Cam Watanabe." Surprised, Cam stood up and walked to where Willow stood and waited for the remaining siblings to choose.

Kris looked at Rania who nodded, "I choose David TrueHeart, though not a Ranger, a loyal friend of ours for a long time." David walked to where Kris stood and it was apparent to those who did not know already, that he and Tommy Oliver were brothers.

Rocky smiled as he locked gazes with Aisha. "My choice was perhaps the most obvious, Aisha."

Rania looked over her siblings' choices and smiled at her only brother, "No, Rocky anyone with even the intelligence of a gnat knows who I'm selecting to go with me, Tommy."

Unsurprised, Tommy walked to where Rania stood, setting one hand on her shoulder, noticing that while she was wearing her traditional Phaedosean garb, she also donned a dark grey cloak with a hood, which she had closed and as they prepared to leave, drew the hood over her head, revealing little more than her eyes to all.

The fourteen of them were transported by the computer to a place none of them had ever seen, though it greatly resembled the Temple of Power that they had visited so long ago.

They walked softly on the ground, treading as lightly as they could. Before long they were surrounded by what appeared to be about a dozen golems. "Who are you? What business of yours is here?" One demanded.

"Our names are our own; we are representatives of the Power Rangers seeking to free the Power." Rania said standing in front of the others protectively.

"Well answered, warrior. Why do you seek the Power?"

"To set right what has been done to as many worlds as I can count and recall." Rania answered calmly as the golems grew more restless.

"Who are your companions?" the golem demanded as the others braced for a fight.

"They are my siblings and very close friends." Rania answered "If you have a problem with them you may take it up with me." She raised her fists in a defensive position.

"Protective of them are you? What if I take that one away from you?" the golem asked as Autumn began moving while dragging her feet.

"Leave her be." Rania commanded the Golem, "I am the Guardian of the Light and I demand you set her free!" she shouted her cloak falling back behind her shoulders. The light blinded the golems while the Rangers looked at her with their mouths open.

The golems were only momentarily blinded and they began to fight with the golems, and each took several heavy hits before they could find the way to escape from the stone creatures.

"RUN!" Rania shouted as she ran for the door. She managed to open it and they all made it inside, including Autumn who had been helped by Nikki and Adam.

Before long they were in an inner Chamber where Rania fell to her knees in the center of the small room, her head bent back at an almost uncomfortable angle.

"What do you seek from me?" a voice demanded in her head drowning out any other sounds she would have otherwise heard.

"The Power to right the wrongs done to so many innocent creatures." Rania answered her head pounding with the throb of the Power.

"What reason would ye have girl?"

"I know many of the innocents of Earth and I want them to be safe from the fate of my own home." Rania said.

"If I allow myself freed what price will ye pay me?" It demanded growing angry.

"What would you ask of me?" Rania asked, tears flowing out of her eyes in a torrent of pain and alarm.

"RANIA!" Tommy shouted, alarmed and started to move forward to move her.

"Don't!" David shouted, "You'll kill her instantly!" he exclaimed as he grabbed his brother by his shoulders "Be patient please, for her sake." he hissed in Tommy's ear.

"You already know the price I ask, Rania of Phaedos. You have always known."

"I cannot allow that. They are still too young to be taken." Rania snapped telepathically.

"Mandy Oliver then?" it snarled, "You seem quite ambiguous about her. Can I take her then?"

Nikki started walking forward having heard Mandy's name mentioned in conjunction to what was going on. "Nikki, don't you could kill her." Adam and Tommy both grabbed her, pulling her backwards.

"But it- it wants–" Nikki's voice was drowned out by the loud scream from Rania.

"NEVER!" Rania shouted furiously both telepathically and verbally "I'll never allow you to take her!"

"Why not? She's got Ranger blood in her veins, what's the difference?" The Power asked coldly, trying to evoke a reaction that it could use to reject this group of Rangers and consume them as it had done to so many other unworthy groups.

"Because she is a BABY!" Rania's voice rang out shrilly in the dead silence of her siblings.

"Rania, she's – she's - LOOK!" Destiny shouted, terrified as Rania's life force left her body, blinding them as it flooded into the chamber.

"NOOO!" echoed the collective tormented scream of everyone there.

"Well then Guardian of Light, wilt thou allow the light within you to become shadow so that Darkness becomes light once more?"

Rania's tears flowed harder than ever as she managed to whisper a single word, "Yes." _"I'll never be forgiven for this, not by them."_ She thought as the Power spoke again.

The torment in her voice and heart evoked a touch of pity and reassurance from the Power within the Chamber, "Do not fear your choice, Rania of Phaedos, it was a sacrifice, for it is custom for They that Ask to suffer the highest price of all. Your reward shall prove worth the costs."

Exhausted, Rania fell backwards; unconscious from the effort of protecting the others, and some who were not old enough yet to choose. She felt herself floating above them, looking down at the tops of their heads. "What is going on?" she wondered as she felt herself crashing into herself, raising the body as she did.

Satisfied at last the Chamber came alive with so many colors that the Rangers were blinded. Tommy crawled on the stone floor to where Rania's body lay crumpled. "God, she's alive, but how?" He breathed as he saw her take in a single ragged breath.

"Tommy?" Rania's voice said weakly, the light painful to her eyes.

"I'm here, Rania, you're so different now, what has happened to you?" He said, holding her close as her features began to change.

"I was so afraid the Power-" Rania stopped, and opened her eyes, which were no longer blue. "Wanted Mandy's life force but I wouldn't – no I couldn't allow that."

"What was the price then, Rania?"

"My life and the life energy of someone who may never come to be again." Rania answered softly so that the others would not hear; her eyes on his.

Tommy, who had been kneeling, fell onto his rear. "You mean-? Oh god, honey..." He said sensing now why she had paid such a high price and had undergone the changes he could not yet see, but felt.

"Yes. Though I yet breathe, I do not understand how that can be." Rania admitted, as she stood up unsteadily, the others noticed at last the differences that even Tommy had missed.

"Rania you're so different." Destiny said, her voice shaking.

"Someone had to suffer an untold amount for the Power that is now released, and I would not allow any of you to shoulder even part of the agony I felt." Rania said evenly, the true price higher than anyone really knew.

Rania reached down to help Tommy to his feet. David saw the look in his brother's eyes and walked to where they stood, "Are you all right?" David asked him quietly.

Tommy shook his head, "Not really, but I will be."

Rania drew the cloak around her, blanketing the blinding prismatic light around her in darkness once more. She turned her attention to Destiny, who wavered under the piercing gaze. "I'm different how Destiny?"

Destiny shook her head as she withdrew her compact from her pocket. "It's hard to explain sis, but I think this should help."

Rania opened the compact slowly, and looked into the mirror. If she hadn't known that the face looking back at her was her own even she wouldn't have recognized it. The once-blue eyes were now bright amber-gold, and her once flaming red hair was white as untouched snow, "Dear Mother." Rania breathed as she looked down at herself and away from the mirror. "This could prove problematic."

Nikki nodded, "It could, if not for the beauty of modern technology."

"What do you mean Nikki?" Rania asked as they heard Hayley's voice come over Tommy's communicator, "You guys have to wait just a few more minutes, and you're not going to believe the sight I've got before me here at the house."

"Contacts can make your eyes blue again if you wish, or you could always claim to have contacts Rania." She started listing off the options to explain some of the oddities. "And never underestimate the power of hair dye." She laughed as Rania raised her eyebrow at her.

"If hair dye stinks as badly as a perm does no thanks." Rania said as Tommy stood protectively next to her again.

As they laughed about the statement, the familiar static of the teleporting invaded their ears they soon found themselves in the lab once more. The fourteen of them looked around and saw that everyone that had been a Ranger before; again had power. The thirteen as yet un-morphed Rangers looked at their respective wrists and saw that they too bore the distinctive look of the communicator.

"This is unbelievable!" David said as he looked around the room.  
"You're telling me." Tommy said walking to where David stood, "You know you're always welcome here, right?"

David grinned at him, "Sure, as long as I call first?"

Tommy shot his brother a dirty look, "Not in front of the kids."

"Well are you guys gonna go for a test drive or not?" Kira demanded, curiosity biting at her good sense.

The older Rangers shook their heads at her as they too morphed into their respective Ranger forms. Even Cam seemed impressed by the massive upgrades they'd all received. Even the Purple Power seemed to those that wielded it, stronger than ever, and Rania knew in her heart that the Purple Power was ever linked to her own, as well as the Darkness she had yet to overtake. Rania's Ranger form had been impressive before, but with the additional bolster from the releasing of the Power, she was clearly the One selected to Guide. She had grown past her tiger totem, which had gracefully exited her life, in its place burned a phoenix, bird of flames.

Later that evening, when the others had returned to their respective daily lives, Tommy and Rania found that they were alone again at last. "Rania?" Tommy called through her closed bedroom door, "Can I open the door?"

"Yes." Her voice echoed in his mind, "Though don't expect me to be cheerful." The reality of what she had done had finally sunk in and was knocking her for a loop. He opened the door slowly and found that his sneaking suspicion that she really wasn't OK was correct. He walked to where she sat with her familiar cloak wrapped tightly around her body. "Rania, honey don't doubt what you did, there was a choice to make and you made it, be it right or wrong."

"What if it was wrong? What then?" she asked, her voice snapping with the confusion and the spiraling commotion in her mind.

"We'll just have to wait and see, honey." Tommy answered calmly as he sat behind her on the bed.

'You're not angry?"

"Angry? No, hurt, I was at first, but I understand that it was either Mandy or you. You were given a choice that no one should be forced to make. I am not surprised at the choice you made. You were projecting to those of us who know how to listen, whether or not we can always answer." He said rubbing her shoulders.

"If I was attractive before, I must be horrid now." Rania said glancing at the mirror she'd covered with some effort with a blanket.

Tommy shook his head in disagreement, "I don't think so, if anything I half expected to see this, I guess it's from being part Indian. I wouldn't change you back if I could."

Rania smiled despite herself. "I hope I never feel that sensation again, Tommy it was beyond anything I've ever felt pain-wise…" her voice trailed off as she felt him wrap her in his embrace tightly.

"Let it out, love," he whispered in her ear, "You'll strangle yourself in your emotions if you don't."

"Tommy, I don't know if I can withstand this. I never really believed that I would have to die to save you all." She admitted as she felt a few tears fall down onto her shoulder.

"Rania," he paused turning her around on the small bed so that he could look at her eyes, "I trust you to do what you believe right, whether it is or not in the end remains ever to be seen." He said kissing her before whispering, "I love you, and nothing can change that."

Rania smiled as she spun around and hopped off her bed and opened her dresser drawers. "Remember that empty dresser you've got stashed in your room? Mind if I use that?"

Tommy laughed heartily as he got up to help her move the clothes, "Now that was perhaps the silliest thing you've ever said to me."

At the Scotts' house, there was more activity than usual. Adam was visiting Nikki and Mandy, and Dulcea and Luke were also there. Soon, the only two that seemed to be awake were Adam and Nikki, who slipped out the door to sit on the porch.

"I thought we'd have more a role to play than we did, didn't you?" Adam asked Nikki as they sat together on the porch steps.

"Yeah, but I don't think we should be that surprised that Rania faced the Power alone. I wonder why she specifically was chosen, I mean we're all important right."

"Because her choices meant a more personal sacrifice than she is ready to tell anyone, not even Tommy." Luke said from behind them.

"Geez man do you ever sleep?" Adam asked as Luke squatted beside them.

"On occasion. Rania's been on my mind and you know how it goes from there, Nikki." Luke said looking pointedly at the young adult.

Nikki nodded, "Yeah I do. I have a few hunches about it myself, given the look they both had when the Power first came into being again."

Luke nodded, his face grave, "She is going to need all of you, and if she senses any wavering in support she will flee, and leave everything that was here in shambles once more."

David opened the door quietly, "Do you guys mind if I come out here? I can't sleep."

"Sure thing." Nikki said softly, "Pull up some porch."

David looked at Luke, "You know more about this than you're telling us."

Luke grimaced, "Sometimes it is better for me to keep my mouth shut, but yes I do."

"It also has something to do with the fact that my brother looked like someone sucker-punched him in that Chamber."

"He's not the only one who suffered that loss, Rania's scream was heard by every Jedi in six different galaxies." Luke said wryly. "She even successfully gave Master Yoda a migraine."

"That takes some doing." Nikki muttered quietly as she began to really think about what they had seen in the Chamber. "Oh God," Nikki breathed quietly, "She didn't…"

"She did." Rania said as the sun came over the horizon. "We didn't have the best of luck sleeping either." She said half-heartedly as she and Tommy walked up to the porch.

"You really shouldn't have." Nikki said standing up to give Rania a hug as the others stared at her in confusion.

"Nikki what the hell are you talking about?" Adam asked as Rania pushed Nikki away after a moment.

"I had to make a choice, for good or ill it is done." Rania said almost too calculatingly casually.

"Rania, thank you." Nikki said, understanding that it had come down to Rania surrendering her life or Mandy's life.

"I couldn't allow you to suffer what I have, especially not now." Rania said her eyes bright.

The others stared at the trio as the harsh reality of what Rania had had to surrender to protect their planet and many others. The knowledge that one of their own would not come into being cut each of them deeper than they wished to admit to themselves.

"Maybe you guys should stay here for awhile; this isn't the time trap yourselves in what happened."

Tommy looked at Rania who shrugged; her face unreadable. "I think that's a good idea, for now I think anyway."

After an hour or so Rania opted to lie down for awhile and so the others went outside to let her rest, while she could.

Rania woke several hours later, feeling no better than she had when she'd lain down, and found that they had given her space. She raked her fingers through her newly-white hair and walked out the front door.

"Hey, you." Destiny said, glancing over her shoulder.

"Hey yourself." Rania said tiredly, still looking no better in the natural light of the sun.

"Tommy told the rest of us what happened in there, you have no idea how sorry we are." Destiny said quietly as the game ended.

"It was a catch-22, Des, no matter my choice I lost." Rania said as the others gathered around the porch.

"You still don't look very good, hon." Tommy said as Rania drew her knees to her chest.

"I don't feel particularly well as it is." She admitted as the world spun around on her.

"Easy, hon." Destiny said as Rania's balance teetered as she sat on the edge of the porch.

Rania drew in a long, slow breath as what little she had been able to eat the previous day came up in a violent heave. "Gods." She gasped as the nausea worsened with every movement.

"Easy." Tommy said having stepped around the others easily, "Here take a small sip." He said holding a paper cup of ginger ale for her.

Rania's eyes burned as she took a sip of the warmish liquid to rinse her mouth out. "That's something I hope I don't do again for a long time." She said her sense of humor at least intact.

Awhile later, most of the Rangers were playing a game as Rania opted to watch instead of participate. They never noticed when Luke tapped her shoulder and motioned for Rania to follow him.

They walked for several blocks before Luke spoke, "You are not doing nearly as well as you're pretending to be." He said bluntly.

Rania shrugged, "What does it matter how well I am or am not doing?"

"It matters a lot." Luke said angrily, grabbing Rania's wrist so she couldn't walk away from him. "Do you not feel what you've done to them all? You've changed them, Rania, and you can not turn your back on them now."

Rania glared at the man she'd long considered her father and spat coldly, "What could you know of how I feel right now?"

"Rania, I don't know what you're feeling nor do I claim to. But I do know that binding those emotions deep within yourself isn't going to heal those feelings either. And in doing so you run the risk of trashing your relationships with your siblings and more importantly Tommy."

He watched as her eyes flew open at Tommy's name, "What does it matter? He'll end up with Nikki soon enough anyway." Rania angrily spat at Luke, deliberately allowing herself to vent her frustration by snapping at him.

Luke shook his head at her, "In case you've become blind recently he has eyes his eyes squarely on you all the time, whether you see it or not."

"So? This is now, I want beyond today." Rania said yanking her wrist away from Luke's grip. "Leave me be."

"No." he said, allowing his anger to flash momentarily, its heat radiated from him palpably, "You can shut your sisters out, you can even shut out Tommy; who loves you to the point that he's lost in it, but don't you _dare_ shut me out Rania, I've known you a long time, too long to not know that you're hurting."

Rania's hard shell splintered as the real reason she'd wanted to be alone the majority of her life, pity. "I can't stand the look in their eyes, the pity. I don't want pity, Luke. I'd rather be alone than see pity in his eyes."_ "Rania I'm sorry I had to do that."_ He thought to himself as he sensed the inner turmoil she was trying to contend with.

Luke's eyes softened, "Rania they don't pity you, if anything they are as hurt and confused as you are right now." Luke saw Rania's guard come crashing down around her, and pulled her close, trying to soothe her.

Sobs tore out of her core at a ragged, tormented pace, and all that Luke could do was keep talking to her softly, mostly supporting her weight as he saw over her shaking shoulder that Tommy was walking towards them at a slow pace.

Tommy paused a few feet away, having gone for a walk after having grown restless at the Scotts. "Can I join you two?" he asked, standing on Rania's left.

Rania nodded her nerves exposed and raw, she answered as she looked over her shoulder. "Yeah, I think I'm done getting my ass chewed off for now." She managed a wry smile. "Luke's always had a bit of a talent for setting my head straight."

Tommy laughed, "Your sisters would agree with that I'm sure." He wiped a tear from under her eye gently, the look in his declared just how strongly he felt the loss, only he wasn't willing to release it openly.

Luke smirked at Tommy, "It's only what happens when you've know someone for as long as I've known Rania, and I've learned how to deal with that temper." He released his hold on Rania and steered her back toward the house and as usual dinner was just about finished cooking when they arrived.

"Jeez what is it with you two and food?" Destiny pretended to pout.

"I told you Des, my gut rules my sense of direction. Besides Luke's the one that directed us this way this time." Tommy laughed as he gathered a plate, and found a few things that he thought might not upset Rania's jumpy stomach.

They sat outside and watched as the sun set, and Tommy whispered quietly, "Do you want to stay here or head home? It's your choice; I'll go wherever you want."

Rania chewed her club cracker thoughtfully, "I want to be here, and yet I'd rather have my own mattress."

Tommy smiled, "That feeling I know too well. We can always come back in the morning you know."

Rania nodded, "I'd rather have a little time to myself, and you. We have some things that we need to sort out."

Tommy nodded and went to find Nikki, who was sitting with Adam and Mandy, who looked a little confused "Hey listen, Nikki, we're going to split, Rania and I need some time to ourselves. We'll come back in a day or so."

Nikki smiled at Tommy, "I know, I figured as much. Take the time now while you're still on break, and, Tommy if you hurt her I'll hunt you down." She laughed as he pretended to look surprised.

"I think you have to get in line there, Nikki." Tommy said as Rocky shook his head. "Your brother claims first dibs."

They laughed as they headed to the Jeep. "Feeling a little better hon?" he asked as he turned the key in the ignition.

"Yeah, I do, though I kind of want some time to just us while we have it. You're about to have school again and stuff." Rania said groggily her eyes heavy.

Tommy noticed that Rania seemed to doze on the short drive to Reefside and reluctantly woke her to get inside the house. "Rania," he said softly, "Wake up, we're home." After a moment her eyes fluttered open briefly and she muttered, "One second." She gathered the willpower to get inside the house, where her knees promptly buckled.

"Whoa, easy." Tommy said, catching her arm. "You really need to get some serious sleep."

Rania turned her head to face him, "You're telling me." She said rubbing her face with her other arm. "Though I doubt it'll do me any good."

Tommy nodded as he guided her steps to the bedroom and helped her into the bed. She watched sleepily from the pillows as he changed into shorts and an A-shirt. "It's probably a good idea that I curl up with you, at least for a little while." Tommy said as he turned down his side of the bed and climbed in.

Rania nodded sleepily as he curled around her protectively. "Thanks." She said slipping into her native Phaedosean.

He smiled against her shoulder, "Get some rest; I'll be here when you wake up." He promised as he felt her breathing slow and deepen.

Amazingly Rania did sleep, and slept well. Sure enough when she woke up the following morning, Tommy was curled around her, his dark eyes open and watching her. He smiled, "I said I'd be here, so I am. I've been up for awhile."

"Morning." She said as she stretched.

"Feel better?" he asked as he put his arm over her shoulders.

"Yeah, actually I do. Its incredible what a few hours of solid sleep does for a person."

"Especially when that person is curled up with someone they love?" Tommy added, kissing her lips lightly.

Rania nodded as the memory of the last major time they'd been in this room uninterrupted flashed through her mind. "Yeah."

Tommy leaned up on one elbow, his Dino Thunder communicator in view, "Shall we get up or stay here?"  
Rania smiled, "I'd rather stay here, since the world doesn't spin around when I dare move my head."

Tommy smiled down at her as he studied her hair, "I don't believe it…" he said picking up a small chunk of it, "It's red."

"You're pulling my chain!" Rania exclaimed as she sat up sharply, regretting it almost instantly as her eyesight dimmed momentarily.

Tommy shook his head as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, "No, look." He said helping her up slowly.

"Oh, my…" Rania said, her hair was mostly the same as it had been the day before, except instead of one chunk of white hair framing her face; she now had a second, this one farther back on the crown of her head, less ornamental than the one in the front.

Tommy chuckled at her expression as he leaned down to kiss her again, "Besides I like it that way." He said softly into her ear, "It adds a more striking touch than even your eyes."

Rania smiled, "If that's an attempt to get me back in bed, Tommy, it needs work." She said half-skipping out of the room.

He shook his head at her retreating form, "Man am I in for a long road with this one." He muttered to himself as she reappeared with a glass and the bottle of Gatorade from the fridge. He raised his eyebrow as the mischievous glint in her expression, "What exactly are you planning?" he asked warily, having learned that Rania and that glint are never a good combination.

Rania smirked mostly to herself as she blatantly ignored the question, pouring the Gatorade into the glass and taking a small sip. "First of all, I rarely plan anything, and second…." She grinned as he stole the glass from her hand, "That's mine." She pretended to be insulted.

Tommy's eyes danced as he set the mostly-full glass on the dresser and debated his next move for a moment. "Yours huh? Well then, what're you gonna do about it?"

Rania grinned, "Not taking that bait, Tommy. You're cute when you play bratty."

"Cute huh?" he laughed as he feigned moving backwards when he fully intended to catch her, which he did easily. "You're not cute, you're beautiful."

"Really? Heh I'd never have guessed you thought that." Rania said sarcastically as she tried to wiggle free.

"You ought to be careful with that; you're going to start trouble." Tommy warned as Rania squirmed particularly violently.

"Really?" She purred with a somewhat evil tone in her voice, "And what if I choose to ignore such a 'trouble'?"

Tommy let her free and set her feet on the floor, "I wouldn't care." He said honestly, "I'd rather anything between us be given freely, you should know that." He said caressing her face tenderly.

She nodded, "I do, and I wouldn't be here if I didn't know that already."

Tommy smiled, "Good," he paused as Rania sat down heavily on the bed, "Maybe we ought to wait about that until you're feeling better, it's not everyday something like yesterday happens." He said sitting down next to her.

Rania nodded a little unhappily, "Probably so, it's just kinda discouraging that we have all the time in the world now, and soon we won't have much at all."

Tommy nodded as he pulled her closer, "I'll just have to manage my time better this year, that's all." He reassured her quietly.

"As if being a Power Ranger on active duty doesn't suck up any free time you might have had?" Rania asked a little sarcastically.

He couldn't stop the light laugh that escaped his lips before answering, "Yeah it does take up a sizeable chunk of my spare time, but luckily the kids are getting better at it every battle."

Rania was quiet for a few minutes and instinctively Tommy waited for her to speak first. Patience was never one of his strongest virtues, but he worked hard to not interrupt her. Finally after a long, taught ten minutes Rania seemed to snap herself out of whatever thought tangent she'd gotten trapped in and said quietly, "I've got so much stuff crammed in my head now, almost like I've taken on too much lately."

Tommy pulled her into a tight embrace, "You know I'm always going to be here for you, all you have to do is tell me."

Rania's eyes softened, "I know that, I really do. Its just that I've got so many thoughts in my head, and …" she trailed off trying to find a way to sum up everything as clearly as she could, "So many new experiences that I'm trying to sort out, and some of those are a bit confusing." She said, even confusing herself.

Tommy turned Rania so that she could see his face, "Do you want me to leave you here by yourself or would you rather I stay here?" he asked his eyes softened by the care he tried to express silently.

"It might be easier if you did stay here. A lot of it revolves around you anyway."

Tommy nodded as they drifted into silence again, and this time Rania got up and walked around the small room, picking up random objects and setting them into a large bin in her room.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she continued to put smaller objects into it.

"What's it look like?" she answered flippantly as she set her favorite picture of them together into the box.

He raised his eyebrow as she picked the box up and carried it out of the room, down the hall and to where his, now their room was. "I see." He said quietly.

"Do you now?" she purred as he caught her wrist playfully, "Just what are you doing?"

"Playing." He answered kissing her lips lightly as he released her from his grip.

"You can help if you want. Might make more time for other projects." Rania said over her shoulder as she put a few more items in to the box.

He shrugged and together they moved the last items into the box and he grabbed it before she could. "My turn." He said shaking his head at her.

Shrugging she walked down the hall to where the room was and began setting the items into their new places.

The night before school was set to start Rania sat Tommy down and said, "I know you really don't want to hear this, but I have to take some time away from you, from us, from even my family. I can't explain why, because I don't know why. I just know that I've become very restless, which means that I have to find something out for myself. I will however leave this in your care," Rania paused removing her simple necklace, a gift from Tommy. "It is very valuable to me, and I will return to get it." She finished as he looked horrified.

"How long will you be gone?" he asked putting the necklace on the table.

"I wish I knew, it could be a night, two nights, two weeks, or longer. It just depends on how long it takes me to discover what I need to." Rania said caressing his face.

"You'll know how to find me?" Tommy asked quietly.

"I can always find those that matter to me, wherever they may roam in the worlds." Rania said as she gave him a tight hug.

Tommy put his hands on her shoulders, and said as she looked up to meet his eyes, "I will not hinder your journey, for it is not my place to do so. My hope is that it is not a long parting."

"Tommy," Rania said her eyes shimmering, "It will be no longer or shorter than it must be."

He smiled down at her as she turned to get her pack to get going, "Be safe, and come home soon." He said as she picked up her prepared pack and left the little house in Reefside.

Rania wandered through the wilderness of Northern California, seeking the place in her dream that she had gone, and had learned from that dream to go to. After a fortnight's journey she found herself in the place she had to be. Rania looked around the mountaintop and saw the place she would build the small fire to meditate near.

Rania sat comfortably on the rocky ground and cleared her mind of all things, which was no easy task, as her sisters, Tommy, and all that had happened weighed heavily on her heart and mind.

Finally her mind quieted and she began to 'float' above herself watching her body in its resting state. She looked around herself and saw that her beloved friends whom she had believed sundered forever were always around her, and yet there was one that she did not know personally that seemed to know her. The others, the Crane, the Ape, and the Frog, all of them seemed to be holding two spirits in higher regard than the others. Rania concentrated harder and she saw through the eyes of her oldest and dearest friend the Tiger, whom seemed both joyous and sad. She had evolved past the protective, solitary creature that she had been for so long, and in her sacrifice had earned the trust of the phoenix, Lord of Wind and Fire. At the side of this particular phoenix she saw that there was another bird, clearly it's equal; this one seemed to echo someone near and dear her heart; and she looked closer and farther at once and saw what she knew she would, Tommy.

Moments later, Rania felt herself crash into her body and gasped aloud, "Dear gods in the worlds."

She gathered her sparse belongings and headed back down the mountain towards Reefside – towards her home.

"Gone? What the hell do you mean gone?" Nikki demanded over the phone.

"Nikki, it was something Rania believed that she had to do, and I'm not going to stop her, it's not my place to stop her." Tommy said pacing across the floor.

"How long has it been?" Nikki asked trying to reign in her temper.

"It's been nearly three and a half weeks." Tommy said wincing as he knew that Nikki was gonna blow.

"YOU WAITED THAT LONG TO TELL US! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" Nikki exploded into the phone, forgetting that the windows were open and half of Angel Grove could hear her.

"Nikki, what was I supposed to do? Try to stop her? Make her stay where she didn't really want to be?" Tommy argued back and never heard the key slide into the lock.

Rania winced as Tommy's voice echoed through the door, "Oh boy he's into it with someone." She muttered to herself as she opened the door.

Tommy turned around instinctively having felt the slight change in temperature from the cool air inside to the blast of warmish air from the outside. He very nearly dropped the phone as he said to whoever was on the line, "Look, can we finish this later? I've got to see a friend now."

A moment later he hung up the phone and turned to walk towards Rania, "You're back, finally."

"I am." She smiled as she set her pack down on the sofa. "And it is good to be home again."

Tommy stared at her open-mouthed for a few seconds as it dawned on him that she was really there, and seemed more content than she had ever. "I'm so glad you came back, your sister was chewing my ear off."

Rania chuckled, "I see she's at it again huh? How that girl's blood pressure stays stable I'll never know. Next time she calls I want to talk to her."

Tommy practically crushed her in the hug and Rania gasped, "I'm happy to see you too, but can I breathe now?"

Tommy grinned sheepishly as he set her feet on the floor. "You look fabulous, Rania. Where were you?"

"Deep in the mountains in this state." Rania smiled, "It was beautiful up there. I'd love to show you what I found someday."

"I'd like that. Granted I'd go to the ends of the world if that's what you wanted to do." He said unable to suppress his joy in seeing her again. "Oh, before I forget." He said pulling her necklace out of his pocket, "I put it in its box for when you came back." He explained as he held the box out to her.

"You added another charm to it?" Rania said looking at it, when she'd left it there had only been two charms on it, a small falcon and a tiger face. There was now a third, and it appeared to be a bird with a really long tail.

"It's a rendering of a phoenix according to the person I got it from. It just seemed like the thing to put on here." He shrugged as Rania smiled.

"How do you know me so well?" she asked him quietly.

Tommy shrugged, "I don't know but I won't knock it either. I couldn't stop myself from buying that pendant; the thing screamed your name to me."

"Tommy what I saw on that mountain was incredible. Everything is now as it should be, at least on our side of the forces of light and dark. I saw what the Power gave to me for my sacrifice." She said her eyes sparkling.

His eyes softened as he knew that this was what she was supposed to find out, and something that had obviously profoundly changed her from what she was before, to the person she had become. "What would that be?"

"I became the embodiment of a phoenix." Rania said, "The part of me that remembers being mostly human is honored to have been chosen."

Tommy nodded as she looked at him, seeing him but also not really seeing him, "What do you see?"

"I see," she paused, "A mirror of myself." She said trying to find a way to explain it.

Tommy took a half-step backwards, "Why would I have been chosen as well? I thought that there was only one to guide the rest?"

Rania smiled, having had expected such a logical question from him. "Phoenixes are sometimes, rarely found in pairs, or alone but not far from the other. You are a logical choice; take a hard look at your life."

Tommy sat heavily on the couch, pulling her down with him. They were silent for several long minutes before he spoke again, "I see what you mean, my life both as a Ranger and as plain old Tommy has been little more than a constant reinventing of myself."

Rania smiled, "So it has, now do you understand?"

"I do, and I am glad that you no longer walk alone." He said quietly.

"None of us do now. Rocky has Aisha, and Autumn has been getting pretty serious about Justin." Rania smiled fondly at the thought of her siblings finally admitting what everyone else had known for some time.

They ate a quiet dinner by themselves, deliberately not calling anyone, or paying any attention to the rest of the world for a little while. Tommy wanted to focus on the fact that Rania had kept her promise and had returned to Reefside, and that she had only been gone as long as she had needed to be.

Regretfully he slipped out of the bed early the next morning for work, "Oh for the lazy days of summer." He muttered watching her sleep as he dressed after his quick shower. He left her a note on the fridge with the numbers she'd need and walked out the door, in surprisingly good spirits.

Tommy walked into his classroom with a spring in his step and a much more relaxed expression on his face.

"Whoa, what's gotten into him all of a sudden? He's been Dr. Grouchy for weeks." Kira whispered to Ethan and Conner, who looked as confused as she did.

"I don't know, but maybe he'll forget about that quiz he said we were having today." Conner said quietly hoping that he wouldn't be heard.

"Nice try, but I don't forget things like that." Dr. O. said to the class, "Take your seats and get out a sheet of paper to write your answers down on."

He was secretly glad that he'd written down his quiz questions before Rania had gotten back, or he'd have forgotten what they were intended to be. He gave them the quiz and presented the new material. As the bell rang he called out their current assignment, "Read pages 101-145 for Monday, and fill out the questions at the end!"

Kira, Ethan and Conner walked up to his desk as the other students filed out of the room, grumbling about their weekend reading.

"Soo, what's gotten into you? One day you're Dr. Super Grouch and the next you're – you're normal?" Kira asked.

"Nothing," Tommy lied, "I just finally got a good night's rest is all."

"I've heard that before." Kira said, having had the feeling that something much more important much more important had happened to their teacher and mentor.

Tommy found that he had to share his secret with someone and said very softly, "Rania's back from her trip. We had a good time last night, that's all."

"I see, that would put someone in a good mood certainly." Conner said smiling.

Tommy glared at him, "Read into it what you want, but it's still none of your business, now get to your next class." He said as his own next class filed into the room.

The day took forever it seemed to Tommy, who was thankful that there wasn't the usual Friday afternoon teacher's meeting since Principal Randall was sick. He walked to his Jeep and hopped in, and started the engine.

He was three-quarters of the way home when Zeltrax appeared in his way. "Aww, man not you again?" he muttered as he stopped the vehicle. "What do you want Zeltrax? I've got better things to do than fight with you."

'They'll just have to wait until I destroy you." Zeltrax said in his mechanical voice.

"You've got issues." Tommy said as he prepared to morph into his Ranger form. "Dino Thunder power up!" he shouted as he morphed into his Black Dino Thunder form. "Now then, shall we discontinue this or would you like another butt-kicking Zeltrax?"

The two began to fight, and even though Zeltrax got in a few really hard, nearly crippling hits, Tommy managed to use his Brachio-staff to cause a minor earthshaking good time for himself, but not for Zeltrax, who despite having the majority of the upper hand, was transported back to Mesogog's fortress.

"I hate it when he does that." Tommy muttered as he said "Power down." He immediately became his 'normal' self and calmly got back into his Jeep and finished driving home.

Tommy couldn't help but scowl as he saw the familiar van in the driveway, parked conveniently so that he could park easily nearer the house. "Great, just when I want a little time alone for us God and everybody show up." He muttered getting out of the Jeep.

Jason Scott stood on the porch and knew that his longtime friend was unhappy about the group of people being at his home. "Sorry man, I got outvoted." He said as Tommy looked at the house.

"Anything interesting going on?"

"Other than Rania's rendition of the riot act on Nikki? Nothing much." Jason said with a shrug as he watched Mandy play in the nearby woods.

Tommy couldn't help but laugh at the image that evoked, "That must be an interesting thing to hear, especially as relaxed as Rania was this morning when I left."

Jason shrugged as they went inside. Sure enough Rania was just finishing her tirade as he entered the kitchen.

"Hello, hope I'm not interrupting anything important." Tommy said as he grabbed a Gatorade out of the fridge.

"Nahh, I'll just be spending the next two years re-growing that chunk of my ass." Nikki said cheerfully before sobering, "hey, listen I didn't mean to lose it on the phone, it was a little uncalled for."

"Don't worry about it; I had a hand in it too." Tommy shrugged as Nikki gave Rania a look that said "Told you so."

Rania raised her eyebrow at her sister and said, "Be careful there, Nikki what goes around comes around." Rania glanced at the table and grimaced inwardly, picking up a letter she said quietly, "This came in today's mail for you."

Tommy took the letter from her hand and looked at it closely. "It's from Kim, I haven't heard from her since…." He trailed off; the memory of her last letter still burned his mind whenever he dared think on it.

Rania nodded as she stepped away from him, "I don't know what to tell you, read it or don't either way I'm going to go outside onto the porch for a few minutes."

A little while later the others slipped away, herded outside of the house by Nikki, who sensed trouble brewing, and figured that if Tommy and Rania were going to fight, the least they could offer was a little privacy in which to fight.

Tommy was still in the house, and Rania had nearly given up on the idea that he would come and get her when he was ready to tell her about it. Tommy sat in his study where instead of one frame with two pictures in it there was another picture in it, this one of him and Rania shortly after they had gotten seriously involved. It was a good picture, and of all the pictures he had, this one was his favorite of her, she looked happy for once, not neutral or sad.

"God, why now? I was just getting everything back in order?" he asked himself out loud when his phone rang. "Hello?" he said into it a little impatiently.

"Hello, Tommy its Kim." A familiar voice said on the other end of the line.

"Oh, hello, how are you?" he asked automatically.

"I'm doing well, thanks, how about you?"

"I'm doing pretty well, working a lot and …" he paused uncertain if he really wanted to tell her about him and Rania or about being a Ranger again.

"And?" Kim prompted curiously.

"And I've moved on, Kim, you're part of my past." Tommy said bluntly, the partially closed wound of the letter gaping and stinging.

"I deserved that." She said sounding a little sad. "Are you happy?"

"Very, the person I'm with now is giving, brilliant, fun, and everything I could ask for, everything I could want, and more."

He could hear her smile, "I'm glad to hear that. I'm sure you've gotten my letter by now."

"Yeah, now I get the fun job of explaining it to her." He said flipping it in his free hand.

"I wish I'd have known about you being involved I would have just called instead." Kim said.

"Its ok, she and I'll get through it." Tommy said looking at the picture on his desk.

"Listen, I'm going to be in Angel Grove for two days after tomorrow, if you can maybe we'll all go out to eat and I can meet this new person."

"I don't know Kim that could be touchy; she's had a rough go of things lately."

"Oh come on, I want to meet her."

"Kim," Tommy paused trying to keep his fuse from burning, "I'll think about it. Right now I've got to go." He said hanging up the phone.

"Damnit." He cursed as he opened the top drawer of his desk and saw what he knew he would. He'd purchased the simple, but elegant emerald and diamond band some months ago, but hadn't found the way to bring it up to Rania yet. "I hope that Kim didn't just destroy my relationship by trying to breeze back in like Rania did." He said to himself shutting the drawer before going outside.

Tommy stood silently behind her on the porch, watching her; she seemed more beautiful to him now than she had even the night before, "Rania?" he queried squatting down next to her. "Are you all right?"

She smiled softly, "I was about to ask you the same thing."

He shook his head, "I'm really all right, I know what I want now, and nothing can change that."

"Not even the return of a first love?" Rania asked her tone biting and cold.

"Not even that." He said squatting at her side so that they would be able to look directly at each other, "I would rather you be in my life than pursue something that might not be what it was."

Rania smiled bitterly, "I was very tempted to throw the letter away before you got home, but I decided that it wasn't worth the trouble it would cause between us."

Tommy nodded wordlessly as she looked at him intently, "She called me on the phone while I was inside earlier. She and her fiancé have invited us to dinner, but I'm not so sure I want to go."

Rania smiled sympathetically, "That I do understand. It's hard having to face someone that you once cared about, especially when they cruelly throw your affection aside like it didn't ever matter."

Tommy winced as he nodded, "Yeah that sums up how I feel about it pretty clearly. The question remains if I want us to go see her or not."

"Tommy, I'd rather not, something about it all just doesn't ring true to me. Almost like she's being used as a pawn to set up someone, and I don't want to be caught in the crossfire."

Tommy nodded, "All right then, we'll just politely decline their invitation and hide out here then. I'd rather get to spend my time with you anyway." He said suggestively as he trailed his fingertips from her cheekbone down past her shoulder blades.

Rania smiled as she shivered just a little at his touch. Rania recognized the look partially buried in his dark eyes and had a fair guesstimate of what he wanted. Despite her own desire, a nagging voice of self-doubt lingered in the back of her mind.

"You're projecting again." He whispered into her ear, "And the answer is 'no', you're second to no one in my eyes."

"I hate it when I do that." She muttered curling her knees up to her chest, leaning her chin on them.

"Its OK, I'm used to it now," he paused scooping her up in his arms easily.

"Hey! Put me down!" Rania exclaimed as her feet dangled high above the ground.

"Nuh-uh you do enough of that for the both of us." Tommy answered, shaking his head, his tone light enough to take the sting out of his words.

"Please? This isn't what I'd call dignified." She tried a different tactic to coax him into putting her two feet on the ground.

Tommy looked at her face and began laughing uncontrollably. "I – I'm sorry hon," he gasped struggling towards the front door, "It's just the look you've got on your face right now is priceless." He managed between laughing jags.

Rania looked at him, trying her best to keep her face neutral or annoyed before the laughter erupted out of her throat.

Tommy half-stumbled into the house and had barely shut the front door when his balance failed him and they crashed to the floor, limbs tangled; which only served to make them both laugh all the harder.

"Now this," He hiccoughed with laughter, "Is undignified." He finished wiping his eyes.

Rania tried her best stop laughing and the harder she tried the more she laughed, "OK now this hurts." She gasped holding her sides.

"All right," he paused to help her get her leg out from under him, "Hop up so I can, with our luck the kids'll show up or worse."

"So?" Rania challenged him as she stood up, "It'd be their stupidity for not remembering to knock." She leaned down to pull him to his feet.

"What are you plotting? I've seen that look before and it's not a good one for me." Tommy asked as Rania's eyes danced merrily.

She smiled to herself as they began to playfully spar, not really intending to hurt the other, "Gotcha." Tommy said knowing full well that Rania gave him the time to do so.

"Really?" she countered as she effortlessly flipped him over her shoulder blades, "Looks like I got you."

"Do you think so?" he grinned from the floor as he caught both of her ankles, "In that case…"

"Hey!" Rania shouted as she unceremoniously crashed to the floor as her feet came out from under her. "Oomph!" she grunted trying to roll away from Tommy.

"No you don't." he growled playfully, catching her shoulders lightly straddling her as the door opened and Nikki stuck her head in the partially open door.

"Aww Christ you two get a room!" Nikki said opening the door as Tommy reluctantly rose and helped her up.

"I have a room, you're in it." Tommy answered flippantly before sobering, "Nikki what's wrong?" he asked upon really looking at her.

"We'll explain in a second." Nikki said as Conner said, "Dude, not an image I wanted."

"First of all don't call me that. And second, Rocky and Aisha have done worse than this in public." Tommy answered as Willow walked in, looking almost more upset than she had the day they'd discovered what her home life was really like.

"Willow?" Rania asked zeroing in on her sister, "What's going on?" she demanded as several of their other siblings walked in.

"Family meeting, we brought the family to you, Sis. Seemed like the thing to do at the time." Rocky said walking in with Autumn who was very upset as well.

"This is what's wrong, Tommy." Destiny said as calmly as she could, handing Tommy and Rania a handful of papers, one of which was on plain computer paper.

The two scanned the papers, court documents and the like detailing what charges were filed against Nikki by Martin.

"The letter explains the worst part." Willow whispered as they turned to it.

"Absolutely NOT!" Tommy and Rania exploded in unison. "You go back there and we'll be scattering you to the winds." Rania said quite matter-of-factly.

"If not he'll pursue these charges against Nikki and…" Willow trailed off as fresh tears blocked her voice. "It's all my f-"

"Willow don't you dare say 'fault"!" Rania cut her off walking across to where she was, "Did you ask to be in a relationship with someone that mistreats you both physically and emotionally? So you signed a piece of paper? That doesn't make you a punching bag!"

"But I – " Willow began again.

Rania held her hand up for silence with a warning look in her stance, "Uh-uh, Willow if this is anyone's mess its mine. I should have finished what I started. If he had any sense he'd be pursuing me, she only snapped his wrist, I'm afraid to know how much damage my temper inflicted upon him."

"Will, this is only a ploy to entrap you in his life, and give him more control over you. 'If you leave I'll have your sister charged with assault' is a hell of a lot of blackmail." Tommy said from where he stood with the papers in hand.

"I've spoken with my dad's lawyer, but its touch and go because of financial reasons." Nikki said her eyes burning. _"I will not admit that I need help, not in front of him."_ She promised herself firmly, _"I've gotten this far without him, and I can get through this myself as well."_

Tommy however knew better and made a mental note to make arrangements to help Nikki any way he could.

"We'll find a way to help you guys." Rania said as the others gathered their respective belongings.

"Tommy, I'm really worried, if this thing progresses too far, I could lose Mandy." Nikki confided to him in an undertone as the others filed outside.

"Nikki, if the time comes, and it's a big if I know, but I want you to know that Mandy is welcome out here." Tommy reassured her quietly, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Things will work out." He said resolutely.

"Thanks, I needed to hear that." Nikki said brightening a bit.

"Hey, you should know me better than to even think I'd let something happen to Mandy." Tommy said as he walked out to the cars with Nikki.

"There went our mood." Rania said dryly as she walked into the living room with two glasses of juice.

"Yeah, I guess so." He replied a little sheepishly as he shut the door, "The curse and blessing of having an extended family like we've got huh?"

"Yeah it is." Rania said, unable to mask all of her disappointment.

The weekend passed tensely, and by Monday both Tommy and Rania were on edge and snappish. It was bad enough that his students began noticing by lunchtime that he wasn't in quite as good a mood as he had been since Rania had shown back up.

"Dr. O. is everything ok?" Kira asked as she and the other two walked up to his desk with Trent.

"Yeah, everything's fine, Kira." Tommy lied unconvincingly.

"Right, I've heard that before." Trent answered calmly. "You do not hide your emotions very well, Dr. Oliver."

Tommy shrugged, "It was a long weekend. It's personal though."

The four teens caught the note of warning in his voice and vacated the room.

"Man he is wound up like a Jack in the box." Conner said as they ate their lunch outside.

"If he wants to share he will, if not he'll deal on his own." Kira said as she finished off her sandwich.

That afternoon, just as Tommy was about to make an escape for home, Principal Randall approached him. "Dr. Oliver, how are your classes going?" she asked him stiffly.

"Going fine thanks. No problems for me." He answered hurriedly.

"Where are you going in such a rush? I was hoping you could teach me more about your field today." Principal Randall purred.

Tommy shook his head, "Sorry Principal Randall, I've got other plans and if I don't get there soon I'll be missed." He said evasively.

"Really? What kind of plans?" she said sounding convincingly disappointed.

"Just some stuff at home I have to take care of." He answered her pleasantly, "Now please excuse me." He said as he turned to walk hurriedly down the stairs praying that he could avoid the teens.

Fortunately he did and arrived home not incredibly later than he usually did. Rania he noticed was still in a pretty testy mood and decided that staying out of her way was probably the best option he had at that moment in time.

Trying to not focus in on the problems in Angel Grove he made a light dinner and just as the two of them were sitting down to eat the phone rang.

"Hello?" Tommy asked into the receiver.

"Hello! You are so not going to believe the day I had!" Nikki's hyper voice blared over the earpiece.

Wincing Tommy said, "I take it you have good news this evening?"

"I'll say! First Willow takes Dulcea's advice and files for divorce and gets a restraining order against him. In so doing she filed a formal police report detailing the abuse he's put her through, which throws any credibility he might have had out the window, which made the ADA throw out any charges on me!" Nikki spouted into the phone rapid-fire.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Tommy said before sobering, "Listen, Nikki, I was thinking about this before now and I want to do more to help you with Mandy. It is my responsibility to her you know."

"Tommy I don't want ch-" Nikki began defensively.

"Nichole, this has nothing to do with you or me, this has to be about Mandy and what can help her the most." Tommy cut her off, "I'm not offering any kind of charity." He said, his voice sounded strained especially to Rania's sensitive ears.

"I just feel like this was my mistake and I should deal with it." Nikki protested.

"Nikki, that's a bit unreasonable don't you think? You're human, and it'd be a whole different ball-game if I didn't know about Mandy."

"I know." She said, her voice sounded tired, "I just don't want to take away from you guys."

"Nikki, I wouldn't be missing it." He said plainly, "Between my work and personal life, money doesn't matter. Hell, I don't even care if you take whatever I send to you guys and stash it in a bank somewhere for her education. I just want to feel as though I've done something more meaningful than I feel I have."

Nikki nodded, he could tell by the way the silence was and knew that she was beginning to accept that he was going to pursue this until she relented in one form or another. "I have been a little curious if you can add her to your insurance, I mean doctors and stuff are really expensive."

Tommy nodded as Rania quietly cleared the table and began setting the kitchen in its proper order again. "I can see about that, it can't be that much more than the premium I've got now."

"That would really help me out, more than I can tell you right now." Nikki said relief in her voice.

"See? We've already come partially to an agreement." Tommy said as he heard Rania's discreet cough in the kitchen.

"Yeah, so we have." Nikki sighed, having had a long day.

"Hey listen, I've got some work that needs doing for tomorrow so I'm going to let you go. Have a good night." Tommy said, leaving out that he'd already finished his work for the next day.

"Sure, no problem; Tommy talk to you later." Nikki said hanging up the phone.

Tommy set the phone aside and smiled at Rania, who looked quite self-satisfied. "Now tell me why you look like the cat that ate the canary?" he said softly as he caught her wrists.

"Oh, nothing really. I just find it quite amusing to soften Nikki's resolve to be so stubborn." Rania grinned evilly, "She wouldn't have given up so easily if I hadn't."

"I knew that was too easy!" He exclaimed as Rania settled into his lap.

"And now it's my turn, why'd you lie to get off of the phone with her?"

Chuckling, he said, "I can think of a few reasons to get off of the phone."

Rania arched an eyebrow at him, "Oh, really?"

Tommy nodded as he lightly kissed her lips, "Yes." One of his hands encircled her waist, pulling her closer, "Some of them are more entertaining than others."

Rania gasped as he nipped gently at her neck, causing her to jump slightly. His touch, while familiar never ceased to startle and at the same time excite her.

Tommy trailed his fingers over her legs slowly, suggesting what ideas he'd had more clearly.

A few minutes more of the teasing the pair went into their bedroom and from there things quickly became heated. Tommy paused and looked down at the petite warrior, noticing that she stared up at him as well. Instead of the quiet nervousness he'd seen in her eyes previously he saw the growing feelings that she felt for herself, not just Rania reacting to his emotions. The thought warmed him from the inside out as she leaned up and kissed him softly, yielding to the demand his body made of her.

Their lovemaking was slow and tender, which both of them appreciated given the occasionally hectic paths that their lives took on a day to day basis. Curled around her protectively Tommy smiled at the half-asleep look on her face, knowing all too well exactly how not-sleepy Rania actually was. "Now, was that a good enough reason to get off of the telephone?" he teased and had to duck as she flipped a nearby pillow at his head with a grin.

"If you need reassurance like that I want to know what you've done with the real Tommy because I'd like to have him back now." Rania replied with a grin.

Tommy smiled as Rania turned towards him with a smile, "I deserved that one." He kissed her lips softly and yipped with his surprise as she nipped at his lips instead of kissing him back.

The rest of the evening was spent by the two bickering playfully, which stirred up other emotions and consequently neither of them actually slept much that night, crashing only after they were both too tired to do anything else.

Life in Reefside and Angel Grove soon settled into a relaxed routine, with Tommy and Rania visiting Nikki and Mandy most weekends, and if they didn't, Tommy usually spent some time on the phone checking in on them, usually after dinner on Sunday to make sure that everything was set for the upcoming week. It was the day before the Easter break, a long four-day weekend, but a break nonetheless. Rania had accepted Tommy's offer of riding in with him to Reefside, where she could either run the few errands they had or hang out at Hayley's Cyberspace, where they planned to catch up after he was done teaching for the day.

Tommy walked at a brisk pace to the café, having decided to not take the Jeep from the school campus at that time. Just as he was turning the corner to the building when a car sped past him going nearly triple the speed limit as Rania walked out of the doors, needing some air. Hayley's Cyberspace had gotten very crowded very quickly as the teens arrived at their hangout.

"RANIA LOOK OUT!" Tommy shouted as he saw the car on a one-way path towards her. Rania tried to back into the building when the car veered towards her, and struck her with a lot of force, speeding away from the building at an even greater rate of speed.

"NOOO!" Tommy yelled, sprinting the last few yards as Rania's body was flung high into the air and crashed dully into the hard pavement.

"Oh my God." Hayley said as she and several of the other patrons burst out of the door.

"Hayley, get help." Tommy said kneeling beside Rania's unresponsive form.

"Right." Hayley said pulling out her cell phone. "Yes you can. I need an ambulance at Hayley's Cyberspace immediately." She snapped the answers to the operator's questions as the sirens were heard blaring their way.

"Come on, don't you dare die like this." Tommy muttered as he checked her breathing again.

A few moments later he heard her soft moan, "Ohh." She moaned softly slipping into Phaedosean in her confusion. "Am I dead?" she asked opening her eyes.

Shaking his head, Tommy answered, "Not unless we all died hon."

"How bad is it?" Rania asked trying to sit up.

"No, don't." Tommy stopped her gently, "It's not good I'll tell you that." He answered bluntly, knowing better than to try to sugar coat it.

"Sir, do you know the victim?" One of the paramedics asked him thrusting the papers at him.

"Yeah, you could say that." Tommy answered as he took the papers and asked, "Can I ride with you or should I follow?"

"Ride with us, that way if she passes out again we can still get some information."

Tommy nodded as he filled out the paperwork and his hand paused over the line labeled "last name." "Rania?" he queried softly.

"_Use what you think is right, I don't actually have a last name_." Rania answered him truthfully in his mind, having closed her eyes to try to stop the severe nausea from the loss of blood.

Tommy filled out as much as he knew, and realized that he really knew very little about what they needed to know.

The ambulance arrived at the hospital in Reefside and Tommy paused outside the ER entrance to call Nikki, who he knew was going to freak out about this.

"Come on dammit answer the phone." He muttered as the phone rang for the fifth time.

"Hello?" Destiny's voice came over the line, out of breath.

"Des, we've got a very big problem. Rania's been hit by a car." He said wincing as Destiny's voice echoed in his earpiece.

"SHE'S BEEN WHAT! Where?" Destiny demanded loudly, startling everyone in her house.

"Here in Reefside, we were going to be going out to dinner after we met at the Cyberspace and now…" he forced his voice silent before continuing as controlled as he could, "Its not good Des, she was awake earlier, but I don't know."

"We'll be there as soon as we can." Destiny promised hanging up the phone.

"I'm counting on it." He muttered turning his cell phone off and walking into the building to sit in the waiting room.

Approximately forty-five minutes later Destiny, Nikki, Autumn and Mandy walked into the waiting room. "No news?" Destiny asked quietly.

"None. I haven't heard anything. Even the Triage desk doesn't know anything other than she's in surgery to repair some severe internal damage." Tommy answered rising and beginning to pace around the room.

"You're acting like a caged beast, go get something to eat or just take a walk." Destiny said directing him to the door.

Shaking his head, Tommy said "No way. I saw it happen and still couldn't stop it…" he was upset and the older girls knew it.

"She's a fighter, Rania'll pull through this." Nikki said resolutely, "Even if we have to reach into that abyss again."

Destiny grimaced, "Dulcea's going to have a baby over this one."

Despite the entire situation the adults couldn't help but find the humor in the statement, much to Mandy's confusion.

A few hours later a surgeon poked his head into the room and asked, "Family of … " He paused and checked his chart again, "Rania Pulsbradford?"

Turning to Tommy with a confused look, Destiny nodded, "Sisters and boyfriend." She answered calmly.

"Well, I wish I had better news than I do, but unless there's serious improvement, I'd recommend making final arrangements." The doctor said rather unhappily.

"What's wrong with her?" Nikki said taking charge, knowing that the others couldn't.

"Well, she has a concussion, and a severe one at that, her lungs were punctured in two places by her ribs from the crash and …. " he paused, "On top of all of the scrapes and gashes all over her body, her legs have been broken severely. We're not sure but we think her spine has been severed."

"Oh Christ." Tommy muttered under his breath.

The surgeon nodded sympathetically, "She can have visitors in about an hour after she's moved to the ICU. I'm sorry." He finished and walked away.

"Man." Nikki said sitting down heavily on the uncomfortable chairs, "This is worse than I thought."

"She'll be OK." Mandy said firmly, refusing to give up even the slightest bit of hope.

"I hope so kiddo." Tommy said quietly as he walked towards the door, "I'm going to get a drink anyone else?"

"Sure," Destiny said getting up, "I'll walk with you." She said as they walked out the door.

"Tommy, I don't know what to say." Destiny said putting her hand on his forearm.

"There isn't anything you can say." He said leaning his head on the vending machine, "The only one with any say in this is Rania herself."

"That's not entirely true, Tommy, you know that." Destiny said walking in the door to the small room.

"Yeah, I guess I do. I still can't believe this is real. I was there – I should have done something more." He said giving voice to the thoughts in his mind.

"Nobody could do anything." Destiny shook her head, "These things happen, all we can do is wait and see."

"Speaking of, why'd you use Pulsbradford for her last name?" Destiny said remembering the real reason she'd wanted to get a drink, besides the drink itself.

"Truthfully, I was going to use Oliver but that didn't seem appropriate, and I honestly couldn't remember yours or I'd have used that." He shook his head, "I panicked."

"It's all right, besides I think they might buy my adoptive dad's a little easier." Nikki said sticking her head in the door.

Tommy shrugged as they sat anxiously waiting for the next hour. A nurse stuck her head in and nodded at them and pointed them to the elevator, "Room 525." She said simply.

The elevator ride seemed to take forever and a day but finally the number changed to 5 and they walked quietly through the stench of death that always seemed to linger in the ICU ward and found Rania's room.

"Oh, man." They muttered in unison as they each saw what remained of Rania's once-vibrant form.

Closing the door, Tommy walked to the bedside and whispered fiercely, "Don't you give up on everything now."

Nikki disappeared for a few minutes and grabbed the head nurse and had a rather heated argument with her. "Look, I don't care what your rules are; she needs to have someone sit with her all the time. If she's going to die she's not dying alone on my watch!" She said digging in her heels for the long haul. "Besides that I'm pretty sure you'll have an even bigger problem getting him out of that room until she is ready to leave it herself one way or the other."

"I'm sorry rules are rules. I don't make them I follow them." The nurse said nastily.

"I'm telling you one of us is going to sit with her all the time, suck it up or I'll just go the president of this hospital." Nikki scowled picking up the phone.

"You can't make a phone call from here." The nurse clicked the button to turn the extension off.

"Oh really, trust me you want to talk to the person I'm calling." Nikki said smiling evilly, "I think it'll be quite entertaining for me."

Realizing that this blond wasn't giving in the nurse relented and Nikki dialed her adoptive father's office number. "Hey, Brenda its Nikki, is my dad in a meeting right now?" She waited for the answer and said as brightly as she could, "Hey, its Nikki, I have a bit of a problem. You remember my older sister that I told you about? … Yeah Rania well she's been in a bad accident and the hospital here in Reefside wants her to be alone at night, and …" she paused as she heard the answer she wanted from her father. "Yes I sure will." She said smiling evilly at the nurse. Hanging up the phone Nikki said quite smugly, "I'll accept your apology now." She said waiting the few minutes it was until the elevator doors opened again and the president of the hospital stepped onto the floor. "Ms. Pulsbradford, it's a pleasure to help you. I understand there's an emergency?"

"Yes, walk with me a moment so you can better understand the emergency." Nikki said leading the man towards Rania's room, where she knew Tommy sat alone in the deathly still room.

They stood at the door and after a moment the man said firmly, "I see what you mean. She's in pretty bad shape then?"

"Yeah, it's kind of been a family rule to not leave one of our own alone when they're hurt." Nikki said her eyes bright.

"I'm making this exception myself, and if anyone has an issue then they can take it up with me personally." In an undertone he said to Nikki, "Your father is quite a persuasive man."

Nikki couldn't help but smile, "It's a family trait."

The morning of the day before school was set to start again Rania seemed to suddenly just come alive, startling Tommy who'd been holding her hand the whole time with only a few breaks, during which Nikki or Destiny had sat with Rania so he could get some things done.

"Hey." She whispered poking him with her hand weakly.

"Rania?" he said softly, rubbing his face with his free hand. "How do you feel?"

"Like someone had an all-night party in my body and forgot to tell me." She said trying to keep her sense of humor for his sake.

"You're doing better than they thought." Tommy admitted as he saw the nurse walk in.

"Awake? I didn't think you were going to." The nurse said a little too casually.

"Seems it's going to take more than an accident and poor medical after-care to kill me." Rania said moving her arms before realizing that moving her legs was harder.

Tommy shook his head at her, "They'll heal with time, Rania your legs are broken right now." He said pointing at the ghostly white casts on her legs.

"Yeah, I noticed." Rania said frowning, "That's not what worries me, my back hurts like three kinds of a tengu."

Shaking his head, "You almost had it severed hon." He said as the door opened and most of the Rangers walked in, including the three other DT Rangers.

"You're a trip and a half." Rocky said as he and Aisha walked in with bright yellow and red flowers to cheer up the room.

Rania couldn't help but smile, "Yeah well I guess I'm just made of sterner stuff than they thought."

"Nahh, you're just more stubborn like the rest of us in our family." Nikki laughed, relieved to see that Rania was going to get better over time.

The next few weeks passed slower than anything Rania had ever experienced, and she shuddered to think of the bill that she was going to cost someone. After two weeks in ICU Rania was moved to a 'regular' room and in that room she stayed for ten more weeks, each day a therapist worked with her to loosen her tight muscles and get up and around on her own as much as she could until the casts were taken off.

Finally after much fighting the doctor had allowed her to go home, with the promise to set up physical therapy to regain her strength.

"Yeah, and pay your favorite lackey triple to do half of what I can do on my own? I think not." Rania said as Tommy pulled the Jeep out of the lot.

"Speaking of on your own, I promised Hayley we'd stop by the Cyberspace before we went home. She's been busy changing it around and she wants us to see." Tommy said turning the corner and saw the look of tension in her eyes. "You OK?"

"Yeah, I'm OK." Rania said as she couldn't help but notice the conspicuous number of vehicles around.

Tommy opened the door and held it so Rania could wield her crutches more easily, still 'requiring' assistance in supporting her weight according to the doctors, whom she was humoring.

"SURPRISE!" shouted the majority of the Ranger family it seemed. Walking to the front of the mass of people Hayley smiled at the pair, "Well that was part of it, but I want to show you something," she said opening the doors that she'd ordered put in and shut until further notice.

Inside the large room was a workout area that had almost anything they could need, from weights to mats to stair-steps. "I'd been thinking about this for awhile, and I know you're going to need to work yourself back into shape so I thought why not?" she smiled at the shocked look on Rania's face.

"This is amazing. I never would have expected this." Rania said sitting in the offered chair.

"As if we're going to let one of our own fight any battle alone?" Jason said giving her a hug.

Laughing Rania looked up at Tommy, who held a glass of water to her. "Thanks." She said softly as she took it.

The party waned on and Tommy drove an exhausted Rania home. His mind was spiraling at the fact that the nightmare had diminished and while still injured, she was home again.

Rania soon got into the habit of getting a ride into Reefside and working on rebuilding her strength while Tommy taught his classes. Tommy and the other DT Rangers would often come by to see her, or help out as much as they could while still fending off Mesogog's attacks. Tommy himself spent as much time there as he could, and he noticed that over time she was getting stronger, and with her strength, some of her former confidence returned as well,

One afternoon just as school was about to let out for the summer, Tommy and the other DT Rangers walked in as Rania finished her third exercise round of the day.

"Hey." She said grabbing her water as they approached.

"Feeling better?" Ethan said with a touch of sarcasm, looking at the mess of empty water bottles around her.

"Yeah, I've been pushing myself pretty hard this last week." She moved closer and said softly, "Being who I am has its perks. I'm at about 95 percent now."

"Nice, I'm itching to get to spar again." Tommy admitted, their sparring matches had improved them both, and were a good way of burning off the tension between them.

Rania grinned, "Me either, but I'm looking at a minimum of another week from now before I'm up for that."

A few minutes later their communicators beeped and apologetically the four of them left, leaving Rania to herself again.

"Kinda used to that now huh?" Hayley said quietly as she handed Rania a fresh fruit smoothie, which Rania had grown a taste for.

"Yeah, I have gotten used to it." Rania said shaking her head. "It goes with the territory."

Two afternoons later Rania received a letter at the Cyberspace as the others walked in. Tommy carefully hid his lack of surprise at the letter that he'd so carefully composed two nights prior with the instructions for Hayley.

"Well, in that case I'd better get home and get dressed." Rania said getting up to leave.

"Sure, I'll give you a ride out there." Hayley offered almost suspiciously quickly.

"Sure that'd be great." Rania said grabbing her bag.

The two left the café and Hayley drove down the familiar road that intersected Valencia Road. Hayley sat in the living room and read a book while Rania showered and changed. All she heard were several loud 'thumps' and crashes from the bathroom as well as several half-muttered curses, but Hayley figured that Rania was all right.

Sure enough approximately an hour later Rania walked out of the bedroom wearing her sleeveless white knee-length halter dress and had styled her hair so that it hung loose around her face.

"You look great." Hayley said getting up, keys in hand.

Rania smiled, "Thanks."

Roughly two hours later the Cyberspace was empty, except for Trent, who was also in on the surprise. "Ahh, good you two made it back in plenty of time." He said smiling, "Your table is ready, Miss. My name is Trent and I'll be your host this evening." He said lighting the two white candles on the table.

Rania sat down as she looked around. The Cybercafe almost seemed different, ethereal to her as she waited. She didn't have to wait long, Tommy walked out from behind one of the doors, dressed in similar fashion. "You set this up?" Rania asked, surprised.

With a smile, he answered as he sat down in the other chair, "Yeah I did, I had a good friend do something like this for me when I felt really down and was having a rough go of things. I wanted to do the same for you." He finished running his fingers through her hair, which had gotten long during her fight to recover who she was before the hit and run accident.

"I never would have expected something like this. I guess Nikki knew what she was talking about when she said you liked surprising people." Rania said. "This is an incredible surprise."

Leaning in he said softly, "No, what's incredible is the fact you're still here with me. As much as I want to I can't take all the credit, without Trent and Hayley's help I'd never have been able to pull this off tonight."

They ate a quiet dinner as Trent and Hayley watched from the side door, which Tommy had hidden behind earlier.

Setting his plate aside Tommy reached for her hand gently, and said, "There's been something I've been thinking long and hard about and the accident made me realize exactly how little time any of us have, regardless of our lifestyle choices."

Swallowing her drink Rania nodded, "OK, what is it?" she asked, never even anticipating the answer she receives.

"Rania, I bought his months ago, but just never found the right moment to bring this up to you." He paused and pulled the box that had sat in his desk for so long out of his jacket pocket, "I've watched you fade alone twice, never again, if you'll allow it. Rania will you marry me?" he asked setting all of his thoughts and feelings on the line once more.

Stunned, Rania's jaw dropped and several long moments passed before she recovered the use of her vocal cords. Her voice sounded stronger to him than it did to her as she said the same word that had nearly torn them apart the first time, "Yes."

His eyes shone brightly in the candlelight as he pulled the ring out of the box and put it onto her left hand ring finger. "You have no idea what that answer means to me." He said as Hayley's speakers played Metallica's 'Nothing Else Matters" he asked her with an almost-shy smile, "Would you like to dance?"

They danced closely in the dim light as Hayley turned the CD that Tommy had handed her the day before on and she and Trent slipped out the door.

The disc played on as the two seemed oblivious to everything around them except for each other. Reluctant to let her go even for a moment, Tommy said in her ear, "Why don't we head home for the moment? I think we need some time alone."

The following morning Tommy made the arrangements for everyone to meet in Reefside, at least the six other members of her – their – family he reminded himself. He waited impatiently for someone to pick up the phone at Rocky's apartment.

"Hello?" Rocky's voice came over the line as he picked up the extension in his kitchen.

"Hey Rocky, Rania and I are calling a family meeting to take place out here at dinnertime, do you think you and Aisha can make it?" Tommy said in a rush.

"Are you OK you sound a little hyper this morning." Rocky said as he wandered through the rooms to find Aisha.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Tommy said cheerfully, "Life couldn't possibly get too much better than this right now."

"Right," Rocky said tapping Aisha's shoulder, "Hey family dinner at Tommy's tonight, can we make it?"

Aisha nodded, "Sure, those evenings are always a gas when you guys get together."

"Tommy we'll see you guys this evening." Rocky said as he prepared to hang up.

"Sounds awesome, talk to you then." Tommy said cheerily as he hung up and dialed another number.

Rania shook her head as she spied him half-skipping around the house as he called different friends and his parents and David to have everyone that could make it out to Reefside so they'd only have to announce it once, except for the two major newspapers.

They worked on the dinner and just as everyone was arriving the grill was just finishing up the first round of burgers and Rania was putting the finishing touches on the table.

"Dad!" Mandy said running towards Tommy.

"Careful, grill's on." Rania said grabbing Mandy's arm. "Slow down OK?"

Mandy nodded as she slowed down as Tommy handed her the plates, "Hey Mandy, take these to Rania for me?"

Mandy walked to where Rania was and she set them on the table. She was careful to not draw too much attention to herself until well after everyone was seated.

"So, you called a family meeting tonight, what's up?" Nikki asked as she set her plate in the pile to be put in the dishwasher.

Tommy smiled as he set his and Rania's plates aside. Glancing around he saw that everyone was still sitting and said, "Well, we didn't want to have to announce this fifty times so a meeting over food seemed wiser, we're getting married." He said preparing to cover his ears in case of the infamous shriek.

"No way!" Jason said, "That's awesome."

Tommy nodded, "I'd been thinking about it and I think it's what I really want."

"But what about…" Nikki asked remembering that Rania technically didn't exist on Earth.

Tommy shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me, Nikki. Its how I feel and that's that."

The happy mood of the group was slightly dampened by the thought that the marriage might never be acknowledged legally but overall the night passed in a happy manner.

Around a month later Destiny walked into Hayley's Cyberspace, where Rania had been working out as usual. Destiny kept a tight grip on Hayden's wrist, as the child had a tendency to get a little too curious when he was in a new place. Destiny was looking forward to seeing Rania again, particularly with the news she got to impart.

"Hey stranger, care to take a break?" Destiny called to Rania who happened to be having a particularly bad day with her sais.

Rania glared at the twin sais in her hands and nodded, "Sure, maybe practice won't be so bad after I take a break."

"Bad training day?" Destiny asked with a sympathetic smile as she strapped a wriggling, protesting Hayden into the booster chair.

"No Momma, no want." Hayden protested trying to get free.

"Not here, Hayden." Destiny warned as Rania snorted.

"I haven't gotten a single routine right all day."

"Well you have been a bit distracted, sis. It happens. I however get to be the bringer of good news to you." Destiny said pulling a small stack of papers out of her purse. "This should brighten your day." Destiny smiled as she handed the folded papers to Rania.

Rania flipped open the pages and scanned the papers. They were clearly adoption papers dated years before the current date and were signed by a couple and a 'single mother.' "I discovered that my adoptive parents had filed the papers to adopt another child around the same time I was and apparently, the child never showed up despite the signing, and my mom gave me this." Destiny said pulling out an old picture. On the picture was an infant child, on the hospital identification it read "Rania Aideen" with no given last name. Rania stared at the picture, even though it was an old picture, piercing blue eyes squinted at the camera. "This is impossible."

Destiny nodded, "I thought so too until I asked Dulcea about it. She confirmed it; it was her way of offering you another mode of protection. I don't know who your father is, but he must not be good if Dulcea was willing to even surrender you to a planet she wasn't fond of."

Rania nodded absently as she re-read the papers in her hands. "This is unbelievable, Des, this means that…" Rania's voice trailed off as Tommy walked in.

"Hey you two, what's going on and why do you look like you just got Christmas, Halloween, your birthday and Easter in one fell swoop, love?" Tommy said cheerfully as he sat down in the chair next to hers.

"Because I did." Rania laughed as she handed him the papers she had in her hand, "Looks like I'm legal here too."

Tommy scanned the papers and nodded, "Looks like it. Is there anything that woman doesn't think of?"

Destiny shrugged, "Between Dulcea and Luke, very few contingency plans are not hatched for any incident or situation."

The next few months passed in a blur for Rania in particular who spent enough hours at Destiny and Jason's that Tommy often had to get clothes changes for them both. It was spring once more, a time of rebirth and changes of all kinds. School was just about over for the summer when the date arrived.

Tommy paced around the small clearing that they'd chosen for the ceremony.

"Man, chill out she'll be here on time." Jason said putting his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Everything will go as planned."

Tommy shook his head as the sky cleared even further as if the spirits themselves were unwilling to mar such a day.

Rania looked around at the myriad of people around her, each scrambling to get ready, though she herself was already ready. Rania had opted to go with a simple cream colored dress with simple lines and as per her usual wore minimal makeup. Since she knew that Tommy preferred it when she'd take the time to wear her hair down, she did, braiding only the top to keep the front out of her eyes, the rest hung down her back in straight locks. She was currently trying to decide which necklace she wanted to wear and finally settled on the one that Tommy himself had given her shortly after they'd gotten together. The necklace wasn't extravagant or expensive but she loved it. She watched as Nikki and Destiny dressed in the lavender purple dresses that they had helped her choose for the Matron of Honor and bridesmaid dresses. She turned her chair a few degrees and noticed that Hayley and Aisha were nearly dressed as well. Another turn of the chair revealed Jan Oliver helping Mandy brush and style her hair while wearing an elegant pale green pants suit with her hair neatly styled around her shoulders.

All too soon there was a knock on the door, "Everyone ready?" Luke called through the door.

"Yeah you can come in." Rania said as she turned away from the door. At a warning look from Luke, the other girls scooted out of the room, having finished getting prepared.

"Well, this is it." Luke said as he studied her reflection in the mirror.

"So it is." Rania answered as calmly as she could.

"You're nervous." Luke observed quietly, noticing Rania's subtle hand twitch.

"Yeah I am. I just want today to go well." Rania nodded as Luke gently put his hands on her shoulders.

"No need to be nervous, Rania people have been getting married since before recorded time." Luke smiled as Rania seemed even less settled than before. "You're making a wise choice, and I am happy that you've found someone that can handle your rather," he cleared his throat, "Active temper."

Rania laughed as he seemed uncomfortable for a moment. "It's not so much that Tommy can handle it, more like he knows when to shut up!"

Luke shook his head at her, "You have always been another daughter to me, and I wanted to tell you how honored I am that you asked me to be part of this for you."

Rania smiled, "I couldn't think of anyone better suited to 'give' me away."

Luke laughed, "This is true, Rania. I have never seen you like this, it's almost like you're a completely different person now than you were just about a year ago."

Rania nodded as they walked towards the door, "I guess that's partly because I feel almost like a different person from a year ago. Then I was kind of cold, flat if you will."

"He only brought out what you wanted him to; you know that, as does he." Luke said opening the door.

"I know, Luke." Rania said as they fell into silence.

The guests were assembled, Tommy was in place and the wedding party was filing down the center aisle in pairs. Tommy himself felt like he was in the middle of a dream, until that is he saw Rania walking with Luke towards him. Looking at her calm face he knew that she was merely masking her nerves behind the cool façade that she was long known for.

The officiator began the ceremony, "Friends, family, guests we gather here on this day to celebrate the union of two people, in matrimony. This is a day to rejoice and remember what has come and gone while looking towards tomorrow with happy hearts and a smile. Thomas and Rania have requested your presence here to witness their joining. Do you Sir; give this woman to this man?"

Luke nodded, his traditional Jedi robes swishing as he moved Rania's hand from his own to Tommy's, "I do, and with this transfer, entrust her life, happiness, and well-being to him." He said, stepping away from the front.

The officiator smiled reassuringly at the two before continuing, "The bride and groom have written their own vows for today, present the rings."

Hayden stepped forward a little hesitantly as he held the box high so that Tommy and Rania could retrieve the appropriate ring.

Tommy and Rania turned toward each other and paused, giving the other a moment to gather their thoughts. Tommy began, "I can't undo the toils we've endured, though they only served to make me love you more, and want to keep you safe." Tommy paused as he saw the tears burning her eyes and smiled softly as he slid the ring next to the band she already wore, "I Thomas Patrick Oliver do swear to stand at your side through joy and tears, sickness and health, and all that may come our way. If ever you lose your balance, call my name, and I'll be there. I love you." He finished as his voice quavered at the end.

Rania's hands were shaking visibly as he squeezed the one he held as she held the ring in her other hand, "Tommy, you showed me a way out of the darkness that had taunted me from the time I was very small. Time and again when I thought I was alone you were there, always extending your hand even when I shoved it aside, believing help to be for the weak. Time and again, you threw your fist into the fire I wielded against the worlds to offer me a way out of the chaotic existence I lived and when I fell, you were there." Rania's voice wavered as she stopped speaking, taking that moment to push the simple band onto his finger, "I, Rania Aideen Skywalker swear to you to love, honor, respect and stand by you through sickness, health, joyous times and in times of sadness, through the rest of the days of my life."

The officiator motioned for both Nikki and Mandy to step forward to stand beside Tommy and Rania, Nikki near Tommy and Mandy beside Rania. "Rania has asked that Nichole and Amanda step forward at this time for a very important reason." he paused and handed Rania the small boxes she had given to him at the rehersal the night before, "Rania."

Rania accepted both and turned first to Nikki, stepping to stand beside Tommy so she could look Nikki squarely in the eyes. "I have a promise to you, not as your sister, but as someone who loves the same people you do." Rania paused to open Nikki's box, revealing the necklace bearing a pendant of one-third of a heart, "I have selected, as a symbol of this promise, a heart that has been broken into thirds. Not because our family is splintering, but when the pieces are placed together, they are one. In loving Tommy, I have to honor what his past is, and you are always going to be part of that. I can think of no better friend or woman to stand forever with us. Nikki, to you I promise to always treat you with the respect you deserve as Amanda's mother, and as the individual you are. I expect only to be loved in return." Rania removed the necklace from the box and clasped it around Nikki's neck. Blinking to try and stop the tears from falling Rania turned and knelt so that she and Mandy were at eye level "You, dear Mandy are one little girl who had me at 'hello'. I have a gift for you also to remind you that not only do you have your parents to love and guide you, you will have me always." Rania opened the box and placed the center third of the heart around Mandy's neck, "Amanda Rose, to you I offer the center piece of the heart, for you are the center for all of us. To you I offer my love, a place within the home I call my own." At Mandy tearful nod Rania kissed her forehead and rose to face the officiator again as many in attendance either wiped their eyes or pretended to have something in them.

The officiator smiled as the attention of the crowd was returned to him, "Let no man, woman or child set asunder these vows, and may the Power bless and protect this union. You may kiss your bride."

Tommy leaned down slightly and gently kissed her lips amid the cheers of the gathered. Everyone there knew that they had walked quite literally through death to be together, and each hoped against hope that there would be more joy than tears in the future, as the previous year had been quite stressful for them, along with their extended and boisterous family.

All was right in the world, for now. The question remained, how long would it last?

The End, for now.


End file.
